The Andhra Pradesh government enhanced the monthly pension to the landless poor in the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) region from the existing Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000. A Government Order (GO) was issued on Wednesday, February 28, to this effect.
“... Government after careful examination of the matter, hereby order for enhancement of the pension to the landless poor in CRDA area from the existing amount of Rs.2500/- to Rs.5000/-(Rupees Five Thousand) per month with effect from the month of February, 2024 payable from 1st March, 2024. The Commissioner, APCRDA shall take necessary action in the matter accordingly,” the G.O read.
The decision to increase the pension amount was made after Prathipadu MLA M Sucharitha recently met Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, appealing to him to enhance the pension amount to the landless farmers.
Sucharitha will contest from Tadikonda Assembly constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections. Tadikonda Assembly constituency falls under the CRDA region.
In 2015, the previous TDP government had provided pensions to the landless poor in the APCRDA region, as compensation for depriving them of their livelihood. As the government had pooled in land from the farmers of 29 villages near Guntur to develop the capital city of Amaravati, the landless were left without any jobs in the region. While providing pensions was a short-term solution, many were hopeful of getting employment once the capital city is built in Amaravati. However, after Jagan came to power in 2019, the YSRCP-led government has halted its plans to construct the city in Amaravati, and instead has proposed to construct three capitals – Visakhapatnam as an executive capital, Amaravati as legislative, and Kurnool as judicial capital.