22L acres given to 14L poor persons

Over 22 lakh acres has been distributed to the poor by successive governments to over 14 lakh beneficiaries over the past five decades.

The latest survey of assigned lands conducted by the revenue department revealed that 98,000 acres of the assigned land parcels had changed hands over the years.

The assigned lands in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and surrounding districts, which command huge real estate value, are in the possession of others, on which real estate ventures, farm houses, resorts, educational institutions have come up. While some assigned lands were bought by others from the poor, which is illegal as per Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977, some others were encroached upon.

The department has taken up a ‘purification of revenue records’ in the wake of land scams and legal disputes cropping up over ownership rights on government lands to set right the land records.

Ranga Reddy stood at the top in transfer of assigned land to others. About 6,500 acres of assigned land had changed multiple hands. In RR district alone, 83,268 acres were distributed to 51,363 beneficiaries.