Interest-Free Loans for Velugumatla Evicted Families, Says Tummala

Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Thursday announced that interest-free loans will be provided to poor families who have been allotted plots and Indiramma houses in Velugumatla Bhoodan land to help them build their homes.

He spoke after attending the groundbreaking ceremony of 38 houses in Bhoodan land at Velugumatla in Khammam district.

The Minister said that a landlord donated 31 acres and seven guntas of land in Velugumatla to the Bhoodan Board in 1951. However, some fraudsters allegedly gave fake Bhoodan land documents to poor people after collecting money. The affected families built houses on the land and have been living there without electricity and drinking water for the last eight years.

Tummala said the demolition of houses in Velugumatla Bhoodan land was carried out on the orders of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA). The state government had stepped in to support the affected families living without basic amenities.

Under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, ₹ 5 lakh will be provided to each beneficiary to build a house in Velugumatla Bhoodan land. If necessary, zero interest loans will also be provided.

The minister said that electricity to Bhoodan colony will be provided by Ugadi and instructed the officials to start laying pipelines to provide drinking water under Mission Bhagiratha.

He added that Velugumatla Bhoodan colony will be developed as a model colony and the house construction will be completed by December 9.