Govt. came to the rescue of farmers betrayed by Naidu, says Kannababu

By returning 2,180 acres of land in the KSEZ and offering a package of ₹10 lakh per acre for the unsettled 657 acres, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, in fact, had come to the rescue of the farmers who had been betrayed by the TDP government headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu, Agriculture Minister K. Kannababu said on Friday.

Addressing the media here, Mr. Kannababu, who was the Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on KSEZ that submitted its report recently, said, “Mr. Naidu had imprisoned the farmers who protested against parting with their land for the KSEZ and subjected them to different means of harassment. In a historic decision, the Cabinet gave its nod to return 2,180 acres and offered a whopping package for the unsettled land.”

Mr. Kannababu announced that the Cabinet also approved the setting up of a skill development centre in the KSEZ to impart training to the local youth in the skills required in the projects to be set up in the KSEZ.

“The Cabinet also accepted the proposal mandating 75% of skilled employment opportunities be given to the locals in the KSEZ,” said Mr. Kannababu.

On the threat to the shrimp hatcheries in the KSEZ, Mr. Kannababu stated, “A pipeline will be laid from the KSEZ to the designated area far away from it for the release of effluents into the sea. The pipeline system will avoid any harm to the local marine ecosystem adjacent to the KSEZ and will not harm the shrimp hatcheries.”