Tadepalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 11 (ANI): YSRCP State spokesperson Vangaveeti Narendra on Wednesday alleged that the Chandrababu Naidu-led government had engineered a Rs 12,000-crore land scam in Amaravati by reclassifying private patta lands belonging to TDP leaders and supporters as “gramakantam” lands and exempting them from the land pooling process.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, Narendra alleged that the government's land exemption policy had benefited politically connected individuals while farmers who surrendered their lands for the Amaravati capital project were still waiting for the promised developed plots.
He said the land requirement for Amaravati had increased from 34,000 acres to 55,000 acres, of which 6,473.72 acres had been identified as exempted land. Nearly 3,000 acres of this category were classified as gramakantam lands, with an estimated value of around Rs 12,000 crore, he claimed.
Narendra said that although 698 farmers had applied for exemptions, only 17 applications were approved, with most beneficiaries allegedly being TDP supporters and members associated with the Amaravati JAC. He questioned the criteria used to approve the applications and demanded an explanation for the rejection of the remaining requests.
The YSRCP spokesperson also raised questions over the proposed purchase of 25,000 square yards of land from Kancherla Sambasiva Rao for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's proposed "Raj Mahal". He said the land was purchased at Rs 7,500 per square yard, amounting to approximately Rs 18 crore, despite claims that land in the same area was valued at Rs 50,000 per square yard.
He sought an explanation for the Phase-I gramakantam exemption granted to Survey No. 91/1F and similar benefits allegedly extended to Shivaram Prasad, Damineni Srinivasa Rao, Anumolu Prabhavathi and Aluru Chandrasekhar.
Narendra also cited the case of Aluru Ranjith Kumar, who had contributed 25 acres to the land pooling process but was allegedly denied an exemption when he sought relief for a neighbouring Ammavari temple. He said Ranjith Kumar subsequently died under severe distress.
Questioning the use of land earmarked for public purposes, Narendra alleged that permissions had been granted for commercial complexes and houses on plots meant for parks, parking facilities and other public amenities.
Demanding answers from Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Minister Nara Lokesh and P. Narayana, Narendra called for the disclosure of the names of all beneficiaries, survey numbers and exemption orders. He also sought an explanation for why only 17 of the 698 exemption applications had been approved.
The allegations were made by the YSRCP spokesperson during his media interaction and were not independently verified. (ANI)
YSRCP's Vangaveeti Narendra alleges Rs 12,000-crore scam over Amaravati gramakantam lands
