VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the highly anticipated Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill 2024 along with seven other important bills on Thursday, marking a major move toward addressing land-related issues and improving law and order in the State.
The bills were passed on the penultimate day of the budget session, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu leading the discussion on the legislation.
Speaking on the Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill 2024 and the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, and Land-Grabbers Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, Naidu said development in any State or country can only thrive under effective law enforcement, which provides a peaceful atmosphere for residents and potential investors alike.
“There can be no development if the people are living in fear,” Naidu said, stressing that industries can only flourish if investments are made, and investments are only possible when law and order is maintained.
“For industries to be established, strong measures and stringent laws are necessary,” he added, outlining his administration’s plans to fortify the police setup.
Naidu announced that 6,100 vacant posts in the police department will be filled soon to ensure that law and order is maintained effectively across the State.
He also took the opportunity to criticise the previous YSRC government, pointing out that the former administration failed to address the menace of ganja and other illegal activities.
“When ganja was seized anywhere in the country, the roots were traced back to Andhra Pradesh,” he remarked, recalling how TDP offices were attacked during protests against the growing drug issue.
He also condemned the YSRC government’s handling of objectionable social media comments targeting the family members of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha.
Naidu accused the previous administration of resorting to organised social media crime to attack political opponents.
In response to these issues, Naidu announced plans to set up a National Forensic Science campus in the State, aimed at combating cybercrime and other illegal activities.
He also expressed his belief that the State needs strong laws to tackle land-related irregularities. “The Land Titling Act, introduced by the previous government, only encouraged land mafia,” Naidu said, describing it as a conspiracy against Constitutional provisions.
After the formation of the TDP-led NDA government, the Act was repealed, replacing it with a more stringent law evolved to curb land grabbing.
The Land Grabbing (Prevention) Bill 2024 aims to protect the land and property rights of ordinary citizens by imposing severe penalties on land grabbers.
Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, who introduced the bill in the House, emphasised its importance, stating that over 90% of complaints received by the government involved land-related disputes.
“Under the previous government, land grabbing went unchecked. This bill ensures that no land grabber is left scot-free,” Anagani said, highlighting that the new law will offer greater protection to the public.
In addition to the Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, the Assembly also passed several other significant pieces of legislation, including the AP Goods and Services (Amendment) Bill 2024, the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments (Amendment) Bill, and the Andhra Pradesh Infrastructure (Transparency Through Judicial Preview) (Repeal) Bill 2024. These bills reflect the State government’s broader focus on improving governance, transparency, and the overall welfare of the public.
The Chief Minister concluded by reiterating that for AP to become a hub of knowledge-based industries and achieve its vision of ‘Swarnadhara Pradesh,’ maintaining law and order would be paramount.