YSRCP Rejects Land Pooling Policy For AP Capital

Rejecting the TDP Government's land pooling policy to facilitate the formation of AP's new capital, the YSR Congress said that it would oppose tooth and nail any move that lacked transparency and legal sanctity, and promoted commercial interests leaving the farmers in the lurch.

"Our stand that the capital formation issue is only to benefit the inner circle of TDP leadership is vindicated with the State announcing that two private companies will be taking up the building of the capital which is a move heavily loaded with commercial interests, and we reject such proposals," Party spokesperson Dharmana Prasada Rao told reporters on Tuesday.

Dharmana said that till recently the Chief Minister had given an impression that Singapore would partner with the State Government in the capital creation, but the State had now made it clear, after the preliminary discussions on land acquisition, that Singapore would only provide the technical know-how and expertise, and the building of the capital would be done by two private companies.

Turning the capital formation into a mercantile activity was unbecoming of a Government in a democratic set-up as it needed to take all stakeholders, including the Opposition Parties, into confidence before taking up a project of such a grand scale which would persevere beyond the term of the extant government, he said.

"Taking a decision on such an important issue arbitrarily without any proper debate is not acceptable, and we will oppose the move at all forums. A decision of such a magnitude has to be taken after considering various issues, including the legal sanctity, but it appears the proposal has been floated only to create a market and benefit private parties," he said.

While acquiring land the Central Act should have been taken into account and the decision should be able to stand legal scrutiny, he said. As the land proposed to be acquired was very fertile, the farmers should get the benefits of and be stakeholders in the development process, and not a couple of companies that had close connections with the State Government, he said, adding that the State had violated the crucial law of discussing the issue with all stakeholders.

"We demand that the State function in a transparent manner and take decisions that stand legal scrutiny and will be helpful to the locals. There are many cases pending on land disputes which take long periods for settlement if the law of the land is not followed," he said.

Just as the Centre placed all the revenue and expenditure, and the deficit, in the public domain every month, the State should also place the corresponding figures in the public domain to be transparent, he added.

"Our Party President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has written a letter to the Chief Minister in which he has raised very valid points, and the State should respond immediately," he said. (INN)