Minister asks Collectors to disburse LA, R&R money sanctioned to displaced families on war-footing

Minister asks Collectors to disburse LA, R&R funds sanctioned to displaced families on war-footing Uttam Kumar Reddy states ₹1, 200 cr.

Key points

• Uttam Kumar Reddy offered instructions on Friday through a video conference held with the District Collectors, Chief Engineers and senior office-holders.
• The instructions were issued after the decision to release ₹3, 000 crore for the purpose earlier this month, along with ₹2, 000 crore already issued.
• Another ₹199 crore was available with districts where payment processes were yet to commence.
• It would translate into the fact that only regarding ₹1, 200 crore could be pushed towards beneficiaries immediately or with minimal procedural action, Mr.
• The funds must ultimately reach the farmer or the displaced family.

In practice, the State Administration has rolled out a drive to remove bottlenecks in land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) measures holding back the progress of ongoing irrigation projects by asking the District Collectors to release funds sanctioned already on a war-footing so that they could reach farmers and displaced families within a couple of days, wherever documentation is complete.

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy offered instructions on Friday through a video conference held with the District Collectors, Chief Engineers and senior office-holders. He stated that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was firm on addressing problems coming in the way of land acquisition, R&R, forest payments and other related requirements, to speed up implementation of the irrigation projects.

In practice, the instructions were issued after the decision to release ₹3, 000 crore for the purpose earlier this month, along with ₹2, 000 crore already issued. The Minister created it clear that the funds sanctioned must reach the displaced farmers at the earliest since crediting amounts to PD accounts of Collectors would not serve the purpose.

"The funds must ultimately reach the farmer or the displaced family. The purpose for which the administration has provided the funds, should be fulfilled, " he stated and informed the office-holders to eliminate every avoidable administrative gap between sanction and final payment.

While only regarding ₹566 crore of it had actually reached the beneficiaries, and another ₹989 crore was at various stages of disbursement, the minister explained that the administration had so far issued ₹2, 782 crore. Another ₹199 crore was available with districts where payment processes were yet to commence.

It would translate into the fact that only regarding ₹1, 200 crore could be pushed towards beneficiaries immediately or with minimal procedural action, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy remarked. He instructed the District Collectors and irrigation authorities to treat the payments as the top priority. He stated that another ₹455 crore related to cleared tokens was awaiting further processing.

For now, minister asks Collectors to disburse LA, R& R money sanctioned to displaced families remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.