A group of ‘podu cultivators’ from Patimeedigumpu tribal hamlet under Bajumallaigudem gram panchayat in Karepalli (Singareni) mandal staged protest outside the RDO’s office on Wednesday demanding investment support under the Rythu Bandhu scheme.
The aggrieved tribal farmers alleged that only 192 of the total 259 podu cultivators of Bajumallaigudem gram panchayat were issued pattas under the Forest Rights Act so far.
They rued that even those in possession of pattas could not avail themselves of the investment support under the scheme since their names were yet to be enrolled in the online land record database.