Date:11/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/11/stories/2004091104050300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Status report sought on assignment, ceiling lands

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, SEPT. 10. The District Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, has directed the mandal revenue officers to submit a status report on the assignment and surplus ceiling lands within 10 days. Status of the lands is essential for grounding the AP Comprehensive Land Development Project.

Speaking at a workshop organised on the project here today she said the survey number-wise status reports should contain the details like whether the lands were in the control of original beneficiaries, whether they were being cultivated or not, whether they had sunk borewells and whether the lands were leased out to others. There were about 5.5 lakh acres of assignment lands and about 75,000 acres of surplus ceiling lands in the district, she stated.

Project features

Outlining the features of the project, the Collector stated that blocks of a minimum of 10 acres (adjoining lands of different beneficiaries) would be selected for comprehensive land development. She stated that sinking of new borewells would not be allowed in the selected lands.

Beneficiaries having borewells would be encouraged to take up micro irrigation for efficient management of scarce groundwater. Each block would have to form a farm pond but construction of checkdams would not be allowed. Bund plantation would also be encouraged, she said.

There was no ceiling on expenditure for the three-year project, the Collector said and stated that at least 50 per cent of physical and financial achievement should reach SCs and 10 per cent to STs as part of the project.

The Joint Collector, Shashibhushan Kumar, also explained the modalities of the project. The Project Director of District Water Management Agency, P.S. Raghavaiah, explained the features of the project through a power-point presentation. The Project Director of Velugu, M. Hari Jawaharlal, and others also spoke.