Govt-assinged land to be transferable in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh cabinet chaired by the state CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday has decided to amend the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977, there by conferring full rights to those in possession of government assigned lands for more than 20 years

Hyderabad

Andhra government to confer full rights to those in possession of government assigned lands for more than 20 years. (PTI)

The Andhra Pradesh cabinet chaired by the state CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday has decided to amend the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977, there by conferring full rights to those in possession of government assigned lands for more than 20 years.

Previously, as per the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977, any piece of land assigned by the government to a landless poor for the purpose of cultivation or as a house-site were not allowed to be transferred and had no right or title in such assigned land.

“Now, the state cabinet decided to amend the act by allowing the people to sell or mortgage or transfer the assigned lands, but only after enjoying the property for a period of more than 20 years,” state information and public relations minister Ch Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna told reporters after the meeting.

Similar facilities would be given to the low-lying lands in islands of coastal Andhra. “In case of death of original beneficiaries, their legal heirs would get the full rights. This will benefit 66,111 persons who are in control of 63,191.84 acres of assigned lands,” the minister said.

The cabinet also decided to remove Inam (gift) lands from the prohibited list of Section 22-A benefitting 1,13,000 beneficiaries. It also decided to waive loans given to the Dalits for purchase of 16,213 acres of land under Land Purchase Scheme before bifurcation of the state. They will now enjoy full rights on those lands, the minister said.

The cabinet decided that as per the welfare calendar, the government will release funds for various welfare schemes such as for Jagananna Thodu on July 18, Nethanna Nestam on July 22 and Sunna Vaddi on July 26 and Videshi Vidya Deevena on July 28.

Another decision taken by the state cabinet was to increase the retirement age of professors working in educational institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University from 62 to 65 and from 60 to 62 in the endowment department .

The cabinet also gave approval for all temple priests to continue in the profession as long as they can work without retirement.