Tales of Prosperity of the Beneficiaries: Aurangabad

After willingly consenting to giving their land for the Samruddhi Project, the various landowners from 10 districts executed their land deals with the MSRDC. Once the landowners received the compensation amount from the direct purchase scheme in their respective bank accounts through RTGS, how and where is the money is now being utilized? This is a brief review of such “Samruddha” stories – meaning “Tales of Prosperity” of some of the beneficiaries in Aurangabad.

Laxman Mandavgad and Ulhasrao Patil-Sonawane of Nangare Babhulgaon village in Gangapur taluka in Aurangabad district are among the many beneficiaries of the Samruddhi Project.

Ulhasrao owns a total of 10.5 acres of farmland. His house is situated there itself, that too recently constructed. There is a well in front of the house and in the backyard there is a sweet lime orchard, mango and tamarind trees, which Ulhasrao had nurtured with care. However, 4.25 acres of farmland out of the total 10.5 acres was purchased for the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg project. Ulhasrao was worried when he found out that a part of his land was to be given up for the highway project. He was relieved after speaking to the government officials and village communicators. He was at ease when the village communicators started providing more information about the scheme and the amount of compensation that he would be receiving. Owing to a good compensation amount received in exchange of their piece of land, the Sonawane family’s happiness knows no bounds! The family decided to utilize the compensation money to buy another piece of farmland. Ulhasrao has purchased a total of 9 acres of farmland – 5 acres of land around Pangare Babhulgaon village and another 4 acres of land close to his village. He also plans to dig wells in these lands. Similarly, he has decided to cultivate plenty of fruit vegetables. He has also taken up the work of developing water channels. Ulhasrao has purchased a tractor from the compensation amount as well. He tells us that the tractor will help speed up the farming activities. He has kept the balance amount in a fixed deposit in the bank. He has also kept aside certain amount for his children’s education, and made a provision for bearing the expenses of his daughter’s marriage. Since Ulhasrao’s land is ancestral land, he has himself decided to give his two sisters their respective shares of the compensation amount received. Ulhasrao also tells us that he plans to buy a new house in Lasur village.

Laxmanrao too has a similar story. Laxman Mandavgad and his wife collectively own around 5 acres of land in Dhamori and Babhulgaon villages. Rainfall in these areas is scanty, which is why they are careful with the use of water. They cultivate ginger, fruit-vegetables etc. in their farm, out of which they earn an annual income of ₹ 3-5 lakhs. However, due to scanty rainfall for the past two years their income has been reduced to half, as told by Laxmanrao. To fill the deficit in the income, they have also ventured into the milk business. 38.5 ares out of a total of 73 ares of farmland situated in Babhulgaon area which is under his wife’s ownership was purchased for the Samruddhi Mahamarg project. Once the land was purchased, the compensation amount was promptly received in their bank account.

His priority is to invest the compensation money in a term deposit with the bank. He tells us that the interest earned from the fixed deposits is decent enough to cover the household expenses. Laxmanrao has a two-year old daughter. He plans to keep aside a certain amount for her future. He is optimistic about the infrastructural development that will take place due to the scheme, which will help the surrounding areas to flourish. He also affirms that he will continue farming on the land remaining with him after giving up a part of it for the Samruddhi Mahamarg.

Likewise, thousands of beneficiaries from the rest of the districts are looking forward to a brighter future because the Samruddhi Mahamarg Project. Click on the link below to view the life changing stories of the beneficiaries from Aurangabad district.