For the development of the Machilipatnam deepwater port and an industrial corridor, the State government on Friday approved a rate of ₹40 lakh per acre, as per the recommendation of a negotiation committee, for the procurement of 122.95 acres under land purchase scheme (LPS) at Mekavanipalem and Pothepalli villages in Krishna district.
According to government order RT No. 8, issued by the Energy, Infrastructure and Investment (Ports) Department, on a request of the Director of Ports, Kakinada, Machilipatnam Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) had released a preliminary notification under section 11(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, covering 2159.25 acres of patta land at Manginapudi, Gopuvanipalem, Tavisipudi, Karagraharam and Mekavanipalem villages in Chilakalapudi mandal and Pothepalli in Machilipatnam mandal and the same was approved by then Collector.
The validity of the preliminary notification was extended to August 28, 2018. Considering delays in land acquisition and limited acceptance of land pooling scheme, the vice-chairperson of the Machilipatnam Urban Development Authority had sent a report to the government requesting the constitution of a committee for negotiating rates with farmers and land holders for procurement of land under the LPS.
The committee recommended that the rate considering similar land characteristics, potential land use, possible distress to farmers and efforts required for their rehabilitation.