Visakhapatnam: TDP demands free registration of houses

Visakhapatnam: TDP leaders and activists staged a protest at the GVMC Gandhi statue here on Wednesday demanding free registration of pattas sanctioned by the previous government under GO Nos 296, 301 and 388 in support of the poor.

They demanded the government to hand over the house pattas which were not yet given to the beneficiaries.

Speaking on the occasion, TDP Parliamentary constituency president Palla Srinivasa Rao alleged that the OTS (one time settlement) scheme was 'aimed' at collecting Rs 10,000 crore from the poor.

He said that during N Chandrababu Naidu's reign, 60,000 to 80,000 house pattas were distributed to eligible beneficiaries in Visakhapatnam district.

Srinivasa Rao alleged that the ruling party was collecting more money from the poor by changing GOs.

The TDP leaders said if the government was truly pro-poor, it should facilitate free registration of pattas for the beneficiaries.

They recalled that the pattas issued in Gajuwaka during YS Rajasekhara Reddy's regime were registered after the TDP came to power.

MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishnababu said the beneficiaries who settled for below hundred yards on government lands were provided free of cost during Chandrababu Naidu's governance.

Irrespective of the government that issued pattas to the beneficiaries, the MLA pointed out, it's the responsibility of the present government to register pattas for free.

The TDP leaders warned that they would continue to fight until the registrations were done free of cost for the poor.

TDP leader M Sri Bharath, former MLA Gandi Babji, Bhimili constituency in-charge Korada Rajababu, general secretary Pasarla Prasad, state party leaders MD Nazir and VSN Murthy Yadav were present.