Keep Your Eyes Open to Avoid Being Short Changed by the Dubious Duo D. Prasad Rao and V. Vasanth Kumar

The AP Government has appointed a cabinet sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao to work out the modalities for allotment of government and private land for cultivation to self-help groups of women on lease. The other committee members include Ministers N. Raghuveera Reddy (Agriculture) and V. Vasanth Kumar (Rural Development).

This committee was constituted last week as a follow-up action in tune with the decision taken by the Cabinet at its meeting on March 6 which cleared a draft of a bill for leasing out Government and Private Land to group of women members of the self-help groups for a period five years for developing such lands under government schemes. The period of the lease will be 5 years.
All’s good so far, the intentions are laudable but we know that Telangana women will be the last to benefit from these allotments. We the people of Telangana need to keep a hawk’s eye on the allotment of these land leases and ensure the self help groups from Telangana are awarded their rightful share of the land. If one goes by the origin and history of these members of the committee, there is no way Telangana women can get a just share of the allotment. The antecedents of Raghuveera and V. Vasanth Kumar are indicative of the injustice that will be meted out to our people, if we are not alert. Raghuveera is a die hard Andhrite from Ananthpur while V. Vasanth Kumar, the Ungutur MLA has been quiet vocal on his propagation of anti-Telangana people. Just the other day, Vasanth Kumar, was speaking about launching a signature campaign in favor of the Polavaram project, which if completed will bring desolation and ruin to the Khammam district of Telangana. That these people will brazen out any venture that benefits the Seema Andhra populace at the expense of Telangana is a moot point and has been proven many times over.
We the people of Telangana, right from the people working in the revenue and land records, to the Zilla Parishad and the representatives in the State Assembly, need to keep a tight check on the allotment of these lands, we not only need to ensure the Women of Telangana get an equitable share but also that these allotted lands are viable. If left to these Seemandhra representatives the lion’s share of the allotment will go to women from the Seema Andhra regions, while Telangana women are awarded a minuscule share of the allotments and the type of land allotted to the Telangana women will be arid, non-cultivable and a burden on an already challenged people.
We have to keep our fight alive on all fronts and not give a moments respite to the Seemandhra leaders. For if we relax our vigil by even a few degrees the loss will be immeasurable. We need to remember that Telangana will be a reality once these settlers from Andhra and Rayalseema realize that they can no longer subjugate Telangana at will.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind