Inspired By Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh To Introduce New Act To Curb Land Grabbing

On Monday (15 July), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced plans to introduce the AP Land Grabbing Act, modelled after similar legislation in Gujarat, to combat illegal land occupation in the state.

According to the Chief Minister, individuals occupying land illegally will be required to prove their ownership under the new law.

Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) administration of illegally occupying 1.75 lakh acres of land valued at Rs 35,000 crore during their five-year tenure. He claimed that the state's natural resources were extensively looted during this period.

Releasing a white paper on the exploitation of natural resources by the previous government, Naidu highlighted that lands, mines, and red sanders were exploited through what he termed "official terrorism". He vowed to take stringent action against those involved in such activities.

Encouraging the public, especially those affected by land grabbing, to come forward and file complaints, Naidu announced the provision of a toll-free number for reporting such incidents.

The Chief Minister detailed several land scams allegedly carried out by the previous government. He mentioned that the natural resources in areas like Visakhapatnam, Ongole, Chittoor, and Tirupati were severely plundered. Naidu pointed out that land allocated to Ramanaidu Studios in Visakhapatnam was reclassified as residential property for illegal gain, and this case is currently before the Supreme Court.

He also accused former Visakhapatnam MP M V V Satyanarayana of attempting to occupy 12.51 acres of land allotted to an old age home and highlighted the allocation of land to Sarada Peetham at a nominal rate of Rs 1 lakh per acre.

Naidu listed numerous instances of illegal land occupation in Ongole and Tirupati, lamenting that lands worth hundreds of crores were grabbed. He revealed that 8,086 acres intended for distribution to the landless were taken by ineligible individuals, often through intimidation of officials.

The Chief Minister warned that individuals who purchased these lands illegally would face imprisonment and assured that the land would be returned to the rightful owners. He criticised the Land Titling Act, which was introduced under the pretext of NITI Aayog guidelines but had not been implemented elsewhere in the country, leading to its repeal.

Naidu further condemned the waste of Rs 653 crore on issuing new passbooks following a land resurvey by the previous government, which will now be withdrawn. He also accused the YSRCP of depleting vigilance and forest staff, resulting in the looting of red sanders stocks and illegal quarry operations.

Highlighting the impact of the sand mafia, Naidu claimed the state suffered a loss of Rs 9,750 crore in revenue from minerals.