VIJAYAWADA: Amid allegations of insider trading in procurement of lands in Amaravati, the YSRC government has cancelled the plots allotted to those who had purchased assigned land in the capital region and later gave it under land pooling scheme (LPS).
The State Cabinet passed a resolution on Wednesday allotting residential and commercial plots to the people to whom the land was assigned.
According to a statement released by the government after the meeting, “The Cabinet has approved the proposal to cancel residential and commercial plots given to those who purchased assigned land in the capital region and then gave it under LPS as it violates the AP Assigned Lands (prohibition of transfers) Act, 1977. The plot allotments made as per the government order (MS 41) dated February 17, 2016, stand cancelled. Residential and commercial plots will be given to the actual people to whom the land was assigned.”
For the record, about 2,515 acres of assigned land was given by the owners under LPS during the previous TDP regime. While the YSRC leaders alleged that TDP leaders and their aides ‘purchased’ assigned lands from farmers, most of whom are Dalits, at a throwaway price, and later benefited by getting residential and commercial plots of high-value in return.
The YSRC leaders alleged that the TDP leaders and their aides bought lands as they were aware of the capital location much before it was announced by the earlier government.
Assigned land-owning farmers too alleged discrimination by the TDP government while fixing their compensation and gave representations to the YSRC government to ‘rectify’ the irregularities. As per the GO (MS 41) dated February 17, 2016, various categories of assigned land-owning people were given residential plots ranging between 500 sq yards per acre to 1,000 sq yards per acre based on the type -- dry and wet -- of the land. Similarly, commercial plots ranging between 50 sq yards to 200 sq yards based on the land type were allotted. The Cabinet approved the proposal to cancel all the plot allotments made in the case of 2,515 acres of assigned land.
