HYDERABAD: To silence critics in the Opposition and within the ruling party over the sale of lands, the State Government is contemplating coming out with a policy paper on the issue this week.

The decision followed the observation of Khairatabad MLA P. Janardhan Reddy that the sale had adversely impacted the ruling party in the Zilla Parishad elections while the TDP, the BJP and the CPI(M) have been attacking the Government on the issue.

Upset over this, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is said to have directed officials to formulate a policy for the sale of lands as the proceedings from the sale are only being used for welfare programmes like housing taken up on a massive scale in the State.

Citing the target of Indiramma programme to construct 55 lakh houses for the poor — 19 lakh of these this year itself — and Jalayagnam that could change the face of the State economy completely, Dr. Reddy is said to have asserted that the Government was committed to the welfare of people.

Hue and cry

"People's land for the benefit of people" was the Congress Government's motto and vested interests were unnecessarily raising a hue and cry over the issue, he is understood to have sought the policy paper in a couple of days.

Citing the gains of the ruling party in the municipal and ZP elections, Dr. Reddy is hopeful that people will not be misled by the campaign of the Opposition and vested interests.

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