Botcha Satyanarayana rubbishes Naidu's allegations on OTS

Amaravati: Rubbishing the 'false allegations' of Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu on one-time settlement (OTC) scheme for housing loans, municipal administration minister Botcha Satyanarayana asserted that OTS is totally voluntary and there is no coercion or persuasion to avail the scheme.

Speaking to media at party central office at Tadepalli here on Monday, the minister said OTS scheme is an unprecedented initiative and the main objective of the scheme is to benefit lakhs of poor people in the state by providing them legal rights on their properties.

He said the people can have full rights on their house just by paying a stipulated nominal amount of Rs 10,000 in villages, Rs 15,000 in municipalities and Rs 20,000 in municipal corporations. He said the state government usually charges seven per cent as registration fee but, doing is it for free under OTS scheme. The minister slammed Naidu for not registering the houses to poor for free during his tenure and making promises that he would give houses for free once TDP comes to power.

The minister said action was taken against Santhabommali panchayat secretary who issued a circular on implementation of OTS scheme and severe action would be taken against employees who indulge in these types of activities.

Flaying Naidu for his remarks on the spirit of Constitution on the occasion of B R Ambedkar's death anniversary, the minister said Naidu had issued a GO for construction of 125-foot Ambedkar statue in 2016 only to divert public attention from call money issue in Vijayawada and questioned why wasn't it completed in three years. He questioned if it is spirit of the constitution to make YSRCP defected MLAs as ministers in the previous government.

Satyanarayana said Naidu claimed that he had introduced share wall technology in the state and questioned why he didn't construct houses within six months as promised. In regard to TIDCO houses, the minister said houses of area 300 sq ft will be given for free to the poor and 90,000 houses would be made available in three months and arrangements are being done to give 365 sq ft and 430 sq ft houses.