Rs. 12,000-cr Gramakantam land scam in Amaravati: YSRCP

Tadepalli, Nov 11: YSRCP State spokesperson Vangaveeti Narendra said Chandrababu Naidu’s government has engineered a Rs. 12,000-crore land scam in Amaravati by converting private patta lands belonging to TDP leaders and supporters into “gramakantam” lands and exempting them from land pooling.

Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, Narendra said Amaravati’s land requirement had expanded from 34,000 to 55,000 acres. Of this, 6,473.72 acres were identified as exempted land, including nearly 3,000 acres under gramakantam, valued at approximately Rs. 12,000 crore. While 698 farmers applied for exemptions, only 17 received approval, most of them TDP supporters and Amaravati JAC figures. Farmers who surrendered land still await promised developed plots, while politically connected individuals receive preferential treatment.

Narendra questioned the purchase of 25,000 square yards from Kancherla Sambasiva Rao for Chandrababu’s proposed “Raj Mahal” at Rs. 7,500 per square yard, totalling approximately Rs. 18 crore, while land in the same area is claimed to command Rs. 50,000 per square yard. He demanded an explanation for the Phase-I gramakantam exemption granted to Survey No. 91/1F and similar benefits extended to Shivaram Prasad, Damineni Srinivasa Rao, Anumolu Prabhavathi and Aluru Chandrasekhar.

He said Aluru Ranjith Kumar, who contributed 25 acres to land pooling, was denied relief when he sought an exemption for a neighbouring Ammavari temple. Ranjith Kumar subsequently died under severe distress. Narendra also questioned permission for commercial complexes and houses on land meant for parks, parking and public purposes.

Demanding answers from Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh and P. Narayana, Narendra called for disclosure of all beneficiaries, survey numbers and exemption orders, and an explanation for approving just 17 of 698 applications.