AP Government Starts Paying Farmers Providing Land for Google Data Centre

Visakhapatnam: Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao has announced that commencing Saturday, state government has started depositing compensation directly into the accounts of farmers, whose lands have been acquired for the Google Data Centre in Tarluwada village of Anandapuram mandal in Visakhapatnam district.

The MLA said acquisition of land is progressing rapidly, with more than 60 per cent of farmers already submitting their consent documents. To ensure fair compensation to farmers, the government has raised the compensation from ₹17 lakh to ₹20 lakh.

State government plans to hand over 308.657 acres to Google.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao and district collector M.N. Harendira Prasad met farmers and informed them about the revised compensation rates. The MLA said strict action is being taken against middlemen who are misleading farmers with false promises of higher payouts.

Srinivasa Rao disclosed that encroachers of land in Tarluwada not listed in official records will also receive increased compensation from ₹8.5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.

On the day, Tarluwada sarpanch B.R.B. Naidu revealed that brokers had recently approached villagers offering ₹1.15 crore in cash per acre, along with developed land at ₹55 lakhs per two acres. Further, the brokers promised to deposit half the amount within a day.

Farmers expressed concerns about such pressure tactics. They alleged that cases have been filed in their names over land acquisition and compensation without their knowledge.

RDO Sangeet Madhur confirmed that a police complaint has already been lodged in this matter. The MLA has asked Anandapuram circle inspector Vasu Naidu to take firm action against such middlemen.

In the interim, farmers have sought an increase in land promised for housing from 3 cents to 5 cents. In addition, they are seeking justice for people who had previously given land for skill development buildings and schools. Ganta Srinivasa Rao assured them that their demands would be conveyed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.