Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is all set to distribute pattas to tribal people cultivating podu lands today, at a meeting in Asifabad.
This is the second time that pattas will be given to those tribals cultivating podu lands under the Forests Rights Act. About 1.5 lakh tribal families will be getting ownership rights over 4 lakh acres of land abutting forests across the state.
Such lands were distributed to tribal people for the first time in 2009 during the Congress rule.
The central Forest Rights Act 2005 entitles only tribal people to get right over the forest lands they have been cultivating for generations.
About 15,000 tribal families living in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district will be given pattas for around 37,000 acres of land.
After this there will be no more distribution of forest lands to tribals in the future.
The forest department will dig trenches around forest lands to protect them and enable rejuvenation of those forests.
KCR has selected Asifabad for launching the distribution of pattas for podu lands, as legendary leader of Adivasis, Komaram Bheem, had fought for tribals’ rights of Jal, Jangal and Jameen in this area.
Those getting the pattas will also be given 5,000 under Rythu Bandhu for the podu lands being allotted to them.
