Andhra Pradesh government initiates probe into ‘biggest-ever’ land scams in country
The previous YSRCP government had brought the ‘freehold’ policy with an intention to alienate up to an extent of 9 lakh acres of lands of various categories, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged during the first Collectors’ conference; Collectors of six districts directed to constitute committees to probe the land deals
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu speaking during a review meeting in Vijayawada.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The newly formed TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has initiated an inquiry into perhaps the “biggest-ever land scams in the country after Independence,” allegedly resorted to during the YSRCP term, going by the allegations of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The Chief Minister had, during the first Collectors’ conference on August 5 (Monday), alleged that his predecessor Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had brought the “land freehold policy” with a malicious intention of grabbing vast extents from the government and innocent assignees.
As a part of the freehold policy, the previous government had allegedly initiated alienation of lands up to an extent of 9 lakh acres to private persons.
R.P. Sisodia, Special Chief Secretary, Revenue (Land, Registration and Stamps), in his observations, alleged that “freeholding” was made in different categories such as assigned lands, village service Inaam lands, ‘Sharathulugala Patta’ lands (lands having certain restrictions), dotted lands, etc.
Out of the total lands converted into “freehold,” registrations were made only up to an extent of 25,236 acres, which was not a high number, Mr. Sisodia informed, adding that there would be some agreements, or GPAs, outside the registration process.
Mr. Sisodia instructed the Collectors of six districts — Tirupati, Chittoor, Kadapa, Annamayya, Prakasam and Sri Sathya Sai — to constitute district- level committees headed by the Special Deputy Collector and comprising assistant registrar, tahsildar and mandal surveyor, to probe the alleged land scam.
The committee is responsible for reverifying the assigned, dotted, and other lands made freehold lands. It will also investigate the gift or sale transactions that occurred on these lands. It will also study details of the assignee and land purchaser to understand the fraudulent and undervalued transactions, if any.
During the conference, Mr. Naidu said, “I did not see this kind of land grabbing petitions in the past. The previous government mismanaged the land records, and there is unrest among the public on it. In fact, when compared with Telangana, the land records in Andhra Pradesh were maintained very systematically.”
He said that the Inaam lands and estate lands were abolished, and they supposed to be lands of State Government. But, the previous government gave 900 acres of these lands to private persons, he alleged.
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