Land pooling for AP capital proves tough

• Demands for different kinds of compensation put government in a fix
• Uniform compensation package turns to be a complex issue

Hyderabad: Demands for three kinds of compensation have come as a roadblock in deciding a uniform compensation package to farmers prepared to give their lands to build Andhra Pradesh’s new capital.

After a meeting with Finance Minister Yenamala Ramakrishnudu here on Wednesday, Municipal Administration & Urban Development Minister P Narayana and Social Welfare Minister R Kishore Babu said a decision had to be taken on the issue. He said while the farmers having their lands adjacent to the old national high way, some others with lands abutting the riverside of Krishna and owners of lands located in between the above two had come forward demanding different sums of compensation.

Apart from this, in addition to the State government-announced 1,200 square yards of land, farmers were demanding an additional 200 commercial space in the capital region. All these issues would be discussed with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, before taking a final call, he said. Further, guidelines on all issues of the capital would be included in the CRDA Bill and the State government has not yet come to a decision, whether to promulgate an ordinance or bring an Act passing the Bill in the Assembly.

The Welfare Minister said the Finance Department had given its approval to set up a skill development centre in the capital region, to provide training to farmers who had come forward to give their lands. The centre would focus on providing skill sets that would earn them a livelihood, he said.