Irrigation facilities being extended

Irrigation facilities being extended even to the upland area with the construction of major projects has enhanced the value of agriculture land substantially in almost all the districts of the State.

Whether it is an agriculture holding adjacent to the highway or in a remote rural pocket, the prices are more or less many times higher than what they were a year ago. The market value of land shot up as farmers are coming back to cultivation, thanks to the government support to the farmers.It is all due to the new irrigation projects coming up and water supply to lands will be a reality in a year or two. Hike in the land value has its impact in the implementation of the land purchase scheme with 100 per cent subsidy for landless SC farmers.

Minster for SC Welfare G Jagadish Reddy said the government had taken up the land purchase scheme with a view to providing three acres of land to the poorest of poor SC women beneficiaries in the first phase. The government had so far been spending Rs 3 lakh to Rs 7 lakh per acre on the scheme.Barring a few pockets in the State, land value even rural areas touched Rs 10 lakh per acre. All the more, there are no sellers today. No farmer is willing to sell land for any purpose as they are assured of water supply in days to come. The price offered by the State was less initially.

It was enhanced as desired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He is also in the know of present status in the implementation of the programme.SC Welfare Secretary Jyothi Budha Prakash said the net benefit being provided to the beneficiary family was more important than the extent of land provided. Giving one acre of land in a remote pocket could be equivalent to giving half an acre in some irrigated areas.

He said there was no proposal in consideration for hiking the land value. So far, some 13,567 acres of land was distributed during the past four years at a cost of Rs 585.75 crore, covering 5,330 SC families. The government had allocated Rs 430 crore for the scheme in 2018-19.A comprehensive package has been envisaged for development of land given to the beneficiaries. It includes provision of irrigation, including drip irrigation besides support to cover the cost of cultivation, seed, fertilizers and.pesticides.Other SC families with small holdings ranging from half acres to two acres will be provided with the balance extent to make them also owners of three acres.