ANDHRA PRADESH

Displaced as partners in development

The Chief Minister disburses ₹226.61 crore as part of the third phase of compensation under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement package, asserts that the government is committed to ensuring a new beginning for those who have borne the cost of progress

By The Hindu

• March 18, 2026 at 2:33 PM

Displaced as partners in development Photo: The Hindu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.

Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that the sacrifices of families displaced by the Polavaram irrigation project would never be forgotten and would instead stand as the moral foundation of the State’s development journey.

Addressing a gathering of the displaced persons at his camp office, the Chief Minister distributed ₹226.61 crore as part of the third phase of compensation under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package.

He said the amount was being credited to the beneficiaries’ accounts on the occasion of Ugadi, the Telugu New year.

The Chief Minister framed the occasion not just as a routine administrative exercise, but as a moment of justice and recognition.

Linking the outreach to the spirit of Ugadi, he said the government was committed to ensuring a new beginning for those who had borne the cost of progress.

Mr.

Naidu described Polavaram as a transformative project that would redefine Andhra Pradesh’s economic and agricultural landscape.

With visible urgency, he underscored that the project, once slowed by years of neglect, had now regained momentum under his leadership.

He made it clear that past lapses had been corrected through careful planning and expert intervention, positioning the current phase as one of renewed determination and accountability.

Turning to rehabilitation, the Chief Minister adopted a firm political stance, asserting that his government viewed displaced families not as victims, but as partners in development.

He highlighted enhanced support measures and reiterated that resettlement would be carried out with dignity, transparency, and speed.

Every family, he assured, would receive its due before the project was brought to completion.

The event carried strong emotional undertones, with several beneficiaries openly expressing relief and gratitude.

For many, it marked the end of a long wait for recognition and support.

Senior leaders, including Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu and Chief Secretary G.

Sai Prasad, were present, lending weight to what was projected as a decisive and people-centric intervention by the government.