Tribal people numbering 9,056 spread over several mandals in Srikakulam district will be given 1.28 lakh acres under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the State-wide month-long programme virtually on Friday and spoke with several beneficiaries through a video-conference.
Later, Speaker Thammineni Seetharam, Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das, and Minister for Fisheries Sidiri Appala Raju formally launched the patta distribution programme at the Sithampet ITDA office.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Seetharam said the exercise would ensure the legitimate right of the tribal people over the lands in the forest areas.
ITDA Project Officer Ch. Sridhar and District Forest Officer Sandeep Kripakar Gundala were among other officials who participated in the programme.
Multi-speciality hospital
In Vizianagaram district, the Chief Minister virtually laid the foundation stone for an engineering college in Kurupam mandal.
District Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal and ITDA-Parvathipuram Project Officer R. Kurmanath told the Chief Minister that they would take steps for early construction of the engineering college and multi-speciality hospital in the Parvathipuram division.
They said that the selection of tribal families for distribution of the pattas was made in a systematic way. Over 10,000 families would benefit in the district, they added.
