Andhra Pradesh: BCY chief Ramachandra Yadav slams govt over land allotments; seeks accountability

VIJAYAWADA: Bharatiya Chaitanya Yuvajana Party (BCY) president Ramachandra Yadav has strongly objected to the allocation of highly valuable government land in Andhra Pradesh to industrialists and private institutions for as little as one rupee or even free of cost. In a statement issued on Thursday, Yadav accused the government of treating public assets as private property and demanded accountability. Ramachandra Yadav said government land does not belong to any individual or ruling dispensation but to the people of the state. He remarked that if someone wishes to give away their personal land for one rupee or free of cost, it is their choice, but questioned the authority of the government to hand over land that belongs collectively to nearly five crore people of Andhra Pradesh. He alleged that such decisions amounted to misuse of power and a betrayal of public trust. Raising concerns over procedure, the BCY chief said land allocation is governed by a clearly defined legal framework. He pointed out that proposals are required to undergo scrutiny by an evaluation committee, followed by a review by a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary, approval by the cabinet, and finally the issuance of government orders. Bypassing all these stages and making public declarations about allotting land at nominal or zero cost was unconstitutional, he asserted. Drawing a comparison with Uttar Pradesh, Ramachandra Yadav said that even in backward regions such as Chambal, the state government encourages industrial development by offering subsidies of up to 75 per cent of the market value of land to Fortune companies. In contrast, he questioned the rationale behind giving away fertile and resource-rich land in Andhra Pradesh at throwaway prices. He warned that people were closely watching the actions of those in power and that the days were not far when arrogant rulers would be shown the door by the public. Ramachandra Yadav said BCY would oppose any decision that mortgaged the state’s interests and would continue its struggle on behalf of the people. Yadav reiterated the party’s commitment to protecting public resources and ensuring transparency in all government decisions related to land and development.