Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): With the change of guard in the state, uncertainty looms large over the construction of the capital of Amaravati after YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a probe into possible land scam in the capital region.
Former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government had acquired 33,000 acres of land from farmers under land pooling system for the construction of the new capital.
Under the system, the farmers were assured that those who gave up their lands would be given flats. With the change in the ruling party, whether that will materialise is what many have been wondering. While TDP said that people will teach a lesson to YSRCP if it won’t oblige, the latter responded that they will act in a transparent manner.
As per ‘the 91 (4) agreement’ between farmers and the State government, the latter has to hand back plots with physical infrastructure to all farmers who gave lands. However, this process has not been completed yet.
“It is the duty of the present government and Jaganmohan Reddy to continue the construction of the capital of Amaravati. Farmers have voluntarily given 33000 acres of land. So it is the duty of the present government to honour the commitment given to the farmers. We have heard a few statements of Jagan in the past few days of scams in land acquisition in the capital region. We are ready to face any kind of enquiry. We are not afraid of it. It was all done in a very transparent manner,” TDP spokesperson K Pattabhi told ANI.
However, YSRCP, that won 151 of the 175 Assembly seats and 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in the state has assured that they will probe all possible irregularities during the acquisition process without doing “injustice” to the farmers.
“With regard to the development of the capital, nobody needs to worry or be afraid. We will develop the capital transparently, without harming anybody, without any greed or selfish motives.
We will transfer the plots agreed by the earlier government. We will not do any injustice to the farmers. And we will not acquire land unwantedly. We will not do any business with farmers’ lands.
We are giving that much assurance. We will not do injustice to anybody,” YSRCP spokesperson and former minister K Parthasarathi said.
He also said that any benefit arrived out of the development of the capital should be passed on to the farmers. “The government or industrialists or business people should not take advantage of profits arrived by developing the capital.”
When asked whether earlier agreements will be examined, Parthasarathi said, “Of course, we will definitely probe if there are any irregularities. We will probe into all misdeeds, illegal contracts, nomination contracts, overestimated contracts. We are answerable to the people of Andhra Pradesh. We will rule the government transparently, but not by creating hype.”
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]