Hyderabad: Amid protests, Chief Minister Jagan laid the foundation stone for the construction of 50,793 houses for the poor in the CRDA region and 45 social infrastructure projects in the Krishnayapalem layout in Amaravati. He emphasized that Amaravati will remain the home for all, symbolizing an era of social justice.
Addressing a meeting in Guntur district, Jagan described the event as a victory over the obstacles posed by certain groups that moved the Supreme Court to oppose the distribution of house site pattas. He declared that Amaravati will continue to be a home for everyone and asserted that the era of domination by capitalists over the weaker sections has ended, thanks to the government’s support for positive changes.
The Chief Minister criticized the opposition led by TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, which filed numerous petitions in the High Court and Supreme Court opposing the distribution of house site pattas. He accused them of wanting NRIs to settle in Amaravati and ensuring the poor remain impoverished.
Jagan revealed that the government is investing Rs. 1829.57 crore in this project, with Rs. 1371.41 crore allocated for house construction and Rs. 384.42 crore for infrastructure like roads, electricity, and drinking water. Additionally, Rs. 73.74 crore will be spent on 45 social infrastructure projects, including anganwadi centers, schools, digital libraries, and hospitals to serve the educational and health needs of the residents.
Protests against the construction of houses for outsiders in the designated area for the state capital took place, with farmers and others expressing their dissent. They claimed that the Chief Minister was deceiving the poor with these houses and criticized the laying of the foundation stone while the court was still reviewing the matter.
In March, the state government declared a new zone (R-5) in Amaravati to provide houses for the poor over 900 acres of land that was previously intended for industries and businesses. This decision was contested by the Amaravati farmers’ Joint Action Committee, leading to a legal battle in the High Court and Supreme Court.
On May 26, the Chief Minister formally launched the distribution of house site pattas in the R-5 zone spread over Guntur and NTR districts. Subsequently, the Andhra Pradesh High Court referred the case concerning the allotment of house sites in the R-5 zone to a three-member bench on July 11.
