Hyderabad: Owners are not coming forward to sell their land to the state government for distribution to dalits under the three-acre free land distribution scheme. Though the government is offering market rate for land, it has failed to enthuse the owners.
This is because the government is defaulting on timely payment of money to owners. The state government has failed to pay Rs 34 crore to landowners even though the sale deeds were executed more than a year ago. With this, the landowners have begun cancelling agreements with the government.
The distribution of three-acre land to Dalit farmers was one of the main promises of TRS president and now Chief Minister in the campaign for the 2014 elections.
Its implementation could not make much headway in these four years due to the scarcity of government land which is cultivable. Besides, there was a steep increase in land prices across the state, especially after the reorganisation of districts, due to which the government is not in a position to buy from private land owners.
The TRS government has been able to distribute 13,568 acres so far to 5,351 Dalits. Last year, the government had purchased 3,600 acres from private landowners and entered into sale deeds. Of this, the government still owes payment of Rs 32.54 crore for an extent of 840 acres.
This year, the government signed agreements to purchase another 700 acres. Of this, it failed to pay for 350 acres. Sellers are being forced to run around district ministers or local TRS leaders to get their money. With this, a few landowners have submitted petitions to the government seeking cancellation of sale deeds.
The failure of the government to provide the three-acre land to Dalits had picked up by Oppo-sition parties, who have questioned the ruling party for not keeping up its election-time promise.
