Published Mar 01, 2026 | 2:09 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 01, 2026 | 2:09 PM
File photo of Thummala Nageswara Rao. (Supplied)
Synopsis: In an attempt to reassure the families who have been rendered shelterless following the demolition of about 600 houses in the Khammam district, Telangana Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao instructed the District Collector to verify the eligible beneficiaries and prepare 10 acres of government land for new colonies.
In a damage control exercise, Telangana Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao has stepped in to assuage the ruffled feelings of families who have been rendered shelterless following the demolition of about 600 houses in the Khammam district a few days ago.
The demolitions, which targeted structures on Bhoodan lands in Velugumatla on Khammam’s outskirts, have sparked significant public backlash. It comes as a jarring development for the government at a time when it is ramping up its ambitious Indiramma housing scheme, aiming to construct 4.5 lakh homes statewide.
The controversy erupted following the government’s action to clear what it describes as unauthorised houses on government-owned Bhoodan lands — donated historically for landless poor — but now allegedly misused.
Opposition BRS accused the administration of insensitivity toward vulnerable families, portraying the demolitions as an assault on the underprivileged.
However, Minister Nageswara Rao, a native of Khammam with over four decades in public life, has described the issue as a crackdown on “land grabbers” masquerading as advocates for the poor, while emphasising the government’s commitment to help genuine beneficiaries.
“If certain individuals, under the guise of a ‘Poor People’s Association,’ encroach upon valuable government land and exploit the poor for financial gain, the government cannot remain a silent spectator,” the minister said in a detailed statement on Saturday, 28 February.
“While we will act strictly against illegal encroachers, we will be equally humane toward the poor,” he said.
This duality in approach — strict enforcement coupled with welfare promises — appears designed to mitigate public outrage and rebuild trust in a district where Rao has deep political roots, including ties to Communist parties that he claims support his stance.
The Bhoodan lands in question, part of a legacy from Vinoba Bhave’s land donation movement in the 1950s, were intended for equitable distribution but have long been plagued by disputes over ownership and encroachments.
In Velugumatla, adjacent to the district Collectorate, reports allege that fake title deeds (pattas) were issued to poor families, who were then coerced into building huts and paying lakhs of rupees to the so-called Poor People’s Association.
Nageswara Rao, referring to the human cost, said: “For the past six to seven years, poor residents on Bhoodan lands have been living in miserable conditions without even basic amenities—no electricity, drainage, drinking water facilities, or proper roads.”
He further said: “I take responsibility to ensure that every eligible poor family is provided with an Indiramma house and that they are able to perform their housewarming ceremonies with dignity.”
Appealing directly to the affected, he said: “I urge the poor not to be misled or agitated by the words of exploiters and land grabbers.” This rhetoric appears intended to shift the blame to exploitative intermediaries, potentially deflecting criticism from administrative lapses.
Thummala lambasted the BRS for “creating a ruckus in an attempt to shield those who deceived the poor,” labelling it as “political degeneration.”
He noted that even Communist parties, aware of the facts, have condemned the association’s actions. Opposition leaders, however, argue that the demolitions reflect a pattern of putting development ahead of social justice, hurting the interests of the people in rural areas.
Meanwhile, Nageswara Rao instructed the District Collector to verify the eligible beneficiaries and prepare 10 acres of government land for new colonies.
Thummala asked: “For a government already committed to constructing 4.5 lakh Indiramma houses across the state, is it a burden to build houses for the victims in Velugumatla?”
As verification progresses, the true test will be whether these assurances translate into tangible relief or remain rhetorical shields against mounting criticism.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
