Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said the happiness of the poor was the true measure of development and described the distribution of land titles to nearly 60,000 poor beneficiaries as a memorable occasion in his life.

Speaking at the ‘Pedala Pattabhishekam’ programme in Vijayawada, Mr. Naidu said titles were being distributed to 28,000 beneficiaries in Visakhapatnam, 5,800 families in Mangalagiri and about 26,000 families in Vijayawada. The land being distributed had a combined market value of about ₹52,000 crore, he said.

In Vijayawada alone, titles were being issued for 707 acres, covering about 34 lakh square yards and benefiting 12,007 people. Each beneficiary was receiving an average of 130 square yards, while the total value of the land was estimated at ₹28,112 crore, he said.

“This is the coronation of the poor and their self-respect,” Mr. Naidu said, urging beneficiaries to protect the properties as assets for future generations and not sell them.

Mr. Naidu also attacked the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), alleging that the previous government had deliberately created disputes over landholdings and made it difficult for people to secure their property rights through the Land Titling Act. The coalition government had repealed the Act and restored confidence among landowners by providing greater security to their properties, he said.

Taking a dig at the YSRCP over Amaravati, Mr. Naidu alleged that the previous government had opposed the capital project and written to the World Bank seeking to prevent funds from reaching it. He accused the Opposition of obstructing development projects and spreading misinformation through social media.

Urging beneficiaries to share their experiences of government schemes on social media, Mr. Naidu alleged that the Opposition was using “Paytm batch” reels to spread misinformation. The accounts of beneficiaries would expose the campaign, he said.

Referring to the “Water Man” tag used by some media outlets after the completion of irrigation projects, Mr. Naidu said it gave him greater satisfaction than being called the “CEO Chief Minister” in the past. Completing irrigation projects and ensuring water for agriculture and drinking purposes was a greater source of satisfaction, he said.

Revenue Minister Angani Satya Prasad, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Shivnath (Chinni), MLAs and MLCs and others were present.