Minister Uttam Directs Officials to Ensure Compensation Reaches Farmers

Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed district collectors and irrigation officials to ensure that compensation released for land acquisition reaches affected farmers and displaced families without unnecessary delays. He said depositing funds into collectors’ PD accounts alone cannot be considered the completion of the government’s responsibility.

At an emergency video conference held on Friday, the minister reviewed land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, forest clearances and other issues affecting key irrigation projects across Telangana. He instructed officials to deposit compensation into beneficiaries’ bank accounts within one or two days wherever all required documents and beneficiary details are ready.

The state government has so far released Rs 2,782 crore for land acquisition and R&R requirements, of which around Rs 566 crore has reached beneficiaries. Another Rs 989 crore is at various stages of the payment process, while Rs 199 crore is available with districts and is yet to be distributed.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said nearly Rs 1,200 crore could be transferred to beneficiaries immediately or after completing minor administrative procedures. He directed officials to treat these payments as an urgent task and monitor the gap between funds released and actual payments on a daily basis.

The minister also reviewed land acquisition issues in Jagitial, Siddipet and Mahabubabad districts. He directed officials to speed up consent awards and compensation processes and ensure that project works are not delayed because of land-related issues. Forest clearance hurdles were also reviewed, with collectors asked to coordinate with revenue, irrigation and forest officials to resolve pending matters.