Andhra Pradesh   

Heated debate over land allotment in Madhapur

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JULY 19. The Minister for Revenue, Dharmana Prasada Rao, has turned down the demand by Opposition parties, including the Telugu Desam, for instituting either a judicial inquiry or appointing a House Committee to look into land allotments made by the previous Government to IT and other companies near Hitech city in Madhapur. Mr. Rao said the Cabinet sub-committee would examine the issue in detail.

Speaking during question hour, the Minister rejected the TDP's demand for a probe by an independent authority into land allotment to Raheja Corporation Private Limited (RCPL) and others. He said the Cabinet sub-committee was aware of the matter, and would check if any rules had been violated. He said the details would be placed before the House later.

Earlier, replying to the main question by P. Janardhana Reddy of the Congress, he denied that the Government had sold 110 acres of prime land near Hitech city to RCPL at half the market price. He said the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (APIIC), with 11 per cent equity, had entered an agreement with the RCPL to build infrastructure and sell it to other companies. He said about 110 acres of land had been allotted to the project at Rs. 50 lakhs per acre.

Mr. Reddy accused the previous Government of allotting prime land at a cheap price and causing revenue loss to the exchequer. He said the value of the land was Rs. 3 crores per acre, adding that the Government should have retained at least 40 per cent of the land instead of 11 per cent of the share. He also alleged that the increase in land value had benefited the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Reacting sharply, Mr. Naidu demanded a judicial inquiry or probe by an independent agency to compare the policy pursued by his Government with other States. Mr. Naidu said as part of the IT policy, certain incentives had been offered to companies to compete with other States and attract investment. Earlier, the member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), M. A. Gafoor, and floor leader of the Communist Party of India, Ch. Venkata Reddy, had wanted the appointment of a House Committee to look into the allotments.

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