Housing scheme for poor in Amaravati: Jagan's masterstroke or blunder?

Ruling YSR Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh are upbeat that though Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy could not shift the capital out of Amaravati, he has created a huge number of detractors for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the capital region ahead of Assembly Elections.

Jagan’s plan to create a colony of 50,793 houses for weaker sections in the heart of Amaravati was stayed by the High Court on August 4, 2023, based on petitions filed by farmers who gave up the land exclusively for the capital construction.

In 2014, more than 20,000 farmers alienated 33,000 acres of land for the construction of capital Amaravati. All these farmers have been agitating against Jagan’s move to shift the capital out of Amaravati as it was against the agreement they signed with the government while parting with the land to build a new capital.

Also read: AP wants ₹3,000 crore to resume Amaravati work, but banks says no

They have objected every attempt by Jagan to demolish Amaravati’s capital status. As a result, Jagan neither could split the capital into three in the name of decentralisation nor shift it to Visakhapatnam (Vizag).

Colony for poor

Arguing that building a weaker sections’ colony is an attempt to alter the profile of the capital city irreversibly, the farmers approached the High Court against the government and got it stayed.

With this, another of Jagan’s plan to demolish Amaravati, the dream capital of his arch foe TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, has gone awry.

The YSR Congress has alleged the TDP is to blame for the denial of houses to the poor in Amaravati. It is hopeful that it could pit the 50,793 families, which effectively means more than one lakh voters, against the farmers and the TDP.

R-5 Zone

In an attempt to dilute the Amaravati capital Master Plan, the Jagan’s government has created a residential area called R-5 Zone in Amaravati where 50,793 houses for economically weaker sections (EWS) were proposed.

The 900 acre-colony was carved out of the lands earmarked for Electronic City by amending the Master Plan in March 2020. Jagan performed Bhoomi Puja for the housing scheme on July 24, 2023, unmindful of the court cases against the project.

Also read: Amaravati was going to be the pride of Andhra. It is now a ‘ghost city’

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on August 4 stayed the construction of the houses stating that the status quo needs to be maintained as the rights of the farmers who had given up the land for the construction of capital Amaravati are under consideration by the court.

A furious Jagan launched a scathing attack on TDP and Chandrababu Naidu for filing cases against the distribution of house site pattas to the poor and stalling the construction of houses for them.

“As many as 18 cases have been filed against the houses for the poor in the High Court and five in the Supreme Court. As your son, I will continue my fight against Chandrababu Naidu and other anti-poor forces for justice,” Jagan said, while distributing the pattas to the poor on July 24.

Anti-TDP drive

The YSR Congress launched a concerted campaign that Jagan’s wish to make Amaravati an inclusive Sarvajana capital by constructing houses for the poor was being sabotaged by TDP.

“TDP is arguing that accommodating the poor in the Amaravati region would disturb the demographic balance. The court cases exposed on whose side Naidu is and whom CM Jagan represents,” the party ran a social media campaign.

The TDP condemned the aggression as a bid to defraud the gullible poor.

Also read: Capital city dream shattered, Amaravati farmers left in penury

“People should not fall into the YSR Congress trap. Housing colony in Amaravati is a trap. Jagan’s government has already cheated farmers who gave up land for the capital construction. It is trying to pit the poor against farmers with the promise of a house in Amaravati only to demolish the capital. The R-5 area is illegal as it forms part of the lands earmarked for non-polluting industries. These lands cannot be alienated to the third party,” said former minister and TDP politburo member Kalva Srinivasulu.

Former minister and Amaravati farmers’ leader Vadde Shobhanadriswar Rao said Jagan as chief minister was not supposed to lure outsiders with houses in the capital city region.

Farmers’ view

“Farmers gave away their lands exclusively for Amaravati’s construction. Jagan is planning to bring outsiders into the capital region to create tension. His attempt to pit these people against farmers who sacrificed the land for the capital won’t succeed. People will soon realize that the government is befooling them as well,” Rao told The Federal.

Jagan’s strategy is to create a vote bank of various categories of beneficiaries with welfare schemes. YSRC claims that Jagananna schemes have benefited about 80 lakhs to 1 crore families. Now another 1 lakh voters have been added with the distribution of house site pattas in the Amaravati region.

Also read: Andhra Pradesh: Why are Amaravati farmers protesting for last 800 days?

Confident of their votes, Jagan is not in a great hurry to launch the campaign unlike his rivals Chandrababu Naidu, his son Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan of Jana Sena who are frantically crisscrossing the state.

At the same time, the government, to prove its commitment to the poor, is planning to approach the Supreme Court to get a stay on the construction of EWS houses in Amravati vacated.

“The housing programme for SC, ST and BCs in Amaravati is a matter of social justice. It shows we are on the side of people. So, we will approach the Supreme Court for justice,” Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, Jagan’s chief advisor, told the media.

With elections approaching, how does it affect Jagan politically? Is it a masterstroke or goof-up? Only time will tell.  Pradesh are upbeat that though Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy could not shift the capital out of Amaravati, he has created a huge number of detractors for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the capital region ahead of Assembly Elections.