VISAKHAPATNAM, September 19, 2026: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday distributed land title documents to beneficiaries in Visakhapatnam, granting full ownership rights over house sites to 28,445 poor families who, according to the state government, had been waiting for legal recognition of their properties for decades.
The title distribution was held as part of the ‘Pattabhishekam for the Poor’ programme. The government has decided to regularise 399 acres of land across 11 mandals in Visakhapatnam district, covering a total of 19,33,853 square yards.
Naidu personally handed over title documents to several beneficiaries at the event. The government said the properties covered by the initiative have a registration value of approximately ₹8,874 crore, while their market value is expected to be higher.
Addressing a public meeting, Naidu described the initiative as more than a distribution of land documents, saying it represented formal recognition of the rights and dignity of poor families.
“For decades, there was uncertainty over ownership of your homes. That uncertainty ends today,” he said, according to the government release.
The Chief Minister urged beneficiaries not to sell their properties simply because land values may rise, describing the property as a source of security for their families and future generations.
Panchagramalu issue to be addressed
Naidu said the government was working towards providing permanent housing and addresses to poor families, following the vision associated with former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao.
The government, he said, had constructed more than 500,000 houses in two years and planned to provide another 500,000-plus houses by next March.
He also said the long-pending Panchagramalu land issue in Visakhapatnam would be addressed soon. Around 22,000 people are still awaiting title documents, and steps would be taken to provide them with titles, he said.
Under the ‘Mee Bhoomi–Mee Hakku’ programme, land-related issues were also being addressed across the state. The government had already regularised land and issued titles to around 12,000 families in various districts, Naidu said.
‘Visakhapatnam is emerging as a global city’
Naidu said Visakhapatnam was among the fastest-growing cities in India and described it as a city with the potential to emerge as a global urban centre.
He said the Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport would help strengthen the aspirations of people in north Andhra and emphasised that poorer sections should also benefit from the city's economic growth.
The Chief Minister called for greater efforts to make Visakhapatnam cleaner and greener. He said 145 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste had been removed across the state.
Referring to Tirumala's reported green cover, Naidu said similar efforts should be made to increase greenery in Visakhapatnam.
He also said the state government was working on several measures to accelerate the city's development, including efforts to safeguard the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. He noted that operations of the long-pending Visakhapatnam Railway Zone had begun.
“Visakhapatnam's development will not stop,” Naidu said.
Government plans measures to address drinking-water shortage
The Chief Minister said the state was experiencing the effects of El Niño, with drinking-water difficulties emerging in Visakhapatnam.
Naidu said he had reviewed the city's drinking-water situation after arriving in Visakhapatnam and that measures would be taken to address the problem.
He said the government planned to bring Godavari water to Visakhapatnam through the Polavaram project, describing the proposed water-transfer measures as a long-term solution to the city's drinking-water requirements.
The state would also work towards reducing water shortages through interlinking of rivers, he said. Godavari water had already been brought to Anakapalli through the Polavaram Left Main Canal, while steps were being taken to connect the system with the Vamsadhara, according to the Chief Minister.
Naidu also said the Veligonda project was being completed to provide water to Markapur.
CM criticises previous government
Naidu criticised the previous government over what he described as land disputes, demolitions and other problems faced by residents of Visakhapatnam.
He contrasted those issues with the present government's land-title distribution programme, saying the coalition government was working to provide property rights to poor families.
On the buildings constructed at Rushikonda, Naidu said a decision on their future management would be taken soon with the objective of putting the facilities to public use.
He also alleged that efforts to bring industries and data centres to Visakhapatnam were being opposed and accompanied by what he described as misinformation.
The government, he said, had a responsibility to ensure adequate drinking water for residents and sufficient water for industries in the city.
Ministers Nadendla Manohar, Narayana, Atchannaidu and Balaveeranjaneya Swamy, BJP state president PVN Madhav, local MLAs and MP Bharat were among those who attended the programme.
