Alleging discrepancies in the allotment of land meant for distribution to the landless, opposition leaders on Friday met revenue minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and demanded a probe into the usurping of thousands of acres of prime land in Rangareddy district.
Talking to media persons after meeting the revenue minister, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Joolakanti Venkat Reddy, Telugu Desam Party leader Manchireddy Kishan Reddy and Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Eetala Rajender alleged that the 2 lakh acres of prime property in Rangareddy district, meant to be distributed to the landless from SC, ST and BC, has been allotted to realtors and capitalists in violation of guidelines.
According to the opposition leaders, as much as 2 lakh acres of land in the State was under the control of autonomous Bhoodan Yagna Board, which was supposed to distribute the land to the landless.
The opposition leaders told media persons that they had urged the revenue minister Dharmana Prasada Rao to spell out the extent of the land, which was allotted to corporate bodies, and also to cancel those allotments.
The leaders revealed that in Rangareddy district alone, over 21,500 acres were taken over by Bhoodana Yagna Board in 2002, as per the board's statement.
The board claims to have distributed over 1 lakh acres to 42,199 people. The opposition leaders alleged that that there were discrepancies in the details provided by the Bhoodan Yagna Board.
The opposition leaders charged that the particulars of land distributed to the landless and the balance land allegedly kept under the control of the Board did not match and that indicated that there was something amiss in the allotments.
Speaking to the press separately, the opposition leaders claimed that the details the Bhoodan Board furnished in respect of the lands meant for distribution were not clear and stated that they had urged the government to scrap the board. They revealed that they had demanded the revenue department take control of the lands in question.
The leaders also called for spot verification of the details to ascertain the factual position and appoint an IAS officer to protect the interests of the people.
The revenue minister is understood to have assured the opposition leaders that not an inch of land 'will go' and that he will give all the details after verification within 6 months.