Visakhapatnam, Aug. 13: The district administration is making all arrangements for distributing forest land to the tribal farmers who have been cultivating there since generations. In the first phase an extent of 60,000 acre in Paderu revenue division alone would be distributed and the process would be launched by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, during his visit to the district on August 17. Official sources said there was scope for distributing 1.5 lakh acre in the Agency area. As per the guidelines, grama sabhas would form land rights committee which would recommend the lands to the farmers. The tribals later submitted claims to the revenue department as per the recommendation of the committee. About 47,105 farmers claimed 89,493.87 acre of land. The officials conducted a comprehensive inquiry into the claims and approved a list of 31,299 farmers allotting them 63,680 acres of land. The committee scrutinised the list and finalised a list of 28,558 farmers from the 11 Agency mandals allotting them 60,600 acre. The highest extent of land was given in G.K. Veedhi mandal in which 20,890 acres of land would be given to 4,0211 farmers and the lowest in Munchingput where 420 acres of land would be given to 427 tribal farmers. Meanwhile, the joint collector, Mr M. Veerabrahamaiah, arrived in Paderu and asked the officials to speed up the survey. He inspected farm lands in Vakapalle, Boddumamidi villages of D. Gonduru panchayat in Paderu mandal on Wednesday. He enquired with the tribals whether they were practicing podu cultivation. He told them that a permanent patta would be given to them. The project officer of ITDA, Mr A. Sharat, told the joint collector that the tribals were being encouraged to cultivate coffee which would bring them more revenue.