Hyderabad: Land, which did not fetch even Rs 2 lakh a acre till a few months ago, cost between Rs 8 and Rs 10 lakh per acre. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who himself holds the portfolio of welfare de-partments of SCs, STs, BCs and Minorities, took distribution of 3 acre of land to Dalits as a challenge and is keen to finish it successfully in the coming four years.

Mr Rao had said at a recent press conference: “The government is ready to spend up to Rs 2,500 crore per year for purchasing the land to implement the scheme. There is no question of going back on this. I am confident of achieving the goal in four years. All landless Dalit families will be provided with 3 ac-re agriculture land.”

The constant statements made by the Chief Minister and his ministers regarding purchasing land from private parties for the scheme has led to skyrocketing of land prices with land owners trying to take advantage of it. “The increase in agriculture land prices in districts is definitely a cause of concern for the government. But we are exploring ways and means to overcome the situation.

There is no justification in price escalation of agriculture lands by three to five times since the Dalit land scheme was announced. We are ready to pay existing market price to owners but not unrealistic prices,” said irrigation minister T. Harish Rao. Under the scheme, besides three acre land, the government will provide irrigation facilities, drip facilities, seed, fertilisers, pesticides, ploughing, micro irrigation, energisation and pumpsets for one crop a year in addition to providing funds for land development, preparation of nursery and agricultural inputs.

The amount for meeting the cost of cultivation would be directly transferred into the accounts of the beneficiaries. The cost escalation has been witnessed primarily in districts surrounding Hyderabad, especially Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar, where the cost increased by five times. In Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Warangal, the increase has been between two and three times.