The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Land patta given to over 5,000 in Tiruvannamalai”

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Monday, Dec 31, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“Land patta given to over 5,000 in Tiruvannamalai”

Special Correspondent

Income ceiling likely to be lifted for the scheme

— Photo D. Gopalakrishnan

IN TUNE WITH POLICY: Food Minister E.V. Velu distributing land patta to a beneficiary at Kannamangalam in Tiruvannamalai district on Sunday.

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A total of 5975 beneficiaries have so far been given free land pattas in Tiruvannamalai district under the scheme of providing free land pattas of up to two acres each to poor farmers and agricultural labourers, E.V. Velu, Food Minister, said on Sunday.

Distributing free land pattas measuring 436.85 acres to 532 beneficiaries under the sixth phase of the scheme at a function at Kannamangalam in the Arni Assembly Constituency, Mr. Velu said that 880 beneficiaries were given land pattas for 1033.01 acres in the first phase of the scheme, pattas for 1527.68 acres given to 1165 beneficiaries in the second phase, pattas for 1593.60 acres given to 1553 beneficiaries in the third phase, pattas for 1388.36 acres given to 1167 beneficiaries in the fourth phase and pattas for 815.75 acres given to 678 beneficiaries in the fifth phase.

Land pattas were given in five phases to 735 persons who had not encroached on poromboke land, while 3175.79 acres were given to 3,600 persons who had encroached on poromboke land in the district.

Five phases

The Minister said that the patta lands measuring 2069.48 acres belonging to 1108 persons who had kept their lands fallow were developed by the Agriculture Department and given back to them in five phases. A total of 2,07,287 free house site pattas were given throughout the State to persons who had constructed houses on poromboke land and lived in these houses for the last more than 10 years. The government has decided to return the amount paid by poor farmers and agricultural labourers for land purchased by them, and also to increase the extent of house sites to be given to them.

The government has also decided to lift the income ceiling for eligibility for free house site pattas, he said.

Tiruvannamalai Collector Satyabrata Sahoo said that as against the target of 650 acres of land fixed for distribution under the sixth phase at the Sunday function in Kannamangalam, land pattas for 436.85 acres were given to 532 beneficiaries. Steps have been taken by the Agriculture Department to develop the 285.85 acres of patta lands belonging to 156 poor farmers, and which were kept fallow, with the objective of returning the land to them in a cultivable condition.

MLAs R. Sivanandam, (Arni), K. Pitchandi (Tiruvannamalai), S.P. Jayaraman (Vandavasi), K. Edhiroli Manian (Peranamallur) and Polur Varadan (Chengam) and District Panchayat Chairman M.P. Giri spoke. G. Thamarai, District Revenue Officer, Tiruvannamalai welcomed the gathering. K. Balaraman, Revenue Divisional Officer, Cheyyar proposed a vote of thanks.

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