Andhra Pradesh to reclaim 1L acres allotted ‘illegally’

HYDERABAD: Accusing previous Congress regimes of irregularities in land allotments over the last decade, the cabinet sub-committee (CSC) headed by deputy chief minister KE Krishnamurthy said that nearly one lakh acres of government land was allotted to various industries and individuals in Andhra Pradesh without due process being followed.
The TDP government, which is under stress to meet the demands from public and private sectors, is all set to take back these lands in order to create a new land bank.The sub-committee was set up to study the way allotments were made and possible hurdles in taking them back. On Monday, the CSC met officials of 12 departments involved in land allotments made by previous Congress regimes to controversial projects like Lepakshi Knowledge City and Vanpic.
Apart from steps to be taken to restore the land to the government, the committee discussed the possibility of leasing out the land for 33 years instead of selling it outright. The committee also found that Vanpic was allotted the land against recommendations of Andhra Pradesh Land Management Authority (APLMA).
Finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and labour minister K Achhannaidu are other members of CSC. The committee found that provisions of GO 571 and GO 424 (government land allotment policy) were abused by the allottees to secure loans from banks over and above the cost of the land.
In the case of GO 424, the committee felt that it was issued to help assignees pledge the lands meant for setting up industries to mobilise funds but found that it was diverted to other purposes later. The committee also examined the possibility of cancellation of these GOs and officers concerned have been asked to submit their reports before January 28, the next scheduled date for the committee to meet.
Speaking to TOI, Krishnamurthy said that the committee had asked collectors to identify cases of irregular land allotments and file a report. “While the previous governments bypassed all rules to assign lands to the favoured ones, those who received them, violated the MoUs with impunity. There appears to be a nexus between those at the helm of affairs and their beneficiaries,” Krishnamurthy said, adding that the government is determined to take back these lands.
“There are many individuals and companies showing interest to invest in the state. Similarly, many government departments such as energy need land near ports. There is an urgency to create a land bank. We have to take back the land allotted arbitrarily,” Krishnamurthy said. He also said that officials had been asked to gather full information regarding these allotments in a week.