Unencumbered plots need to be given in township: CPM

Vijayawada: Hailing the government's decision to allot plots at Navuluru Township, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State executive member Ch Babu Rao said that the government put the value of the land at Rs 17,500 per square yard whereas the government value is only Rs 5,000 and the market value is Rs 10,000.

Along with other CPM leaders, he visited Navuluru Township on Friday, where the government proposed to allot lands to the middle-income group families.

Babu Rao said that the government acquired the same land from farmers 30 years ago by paying Rs 50,000 per acre. Now it was trying to encash Rs 240 crore by selling the same land. "It is not proper on the part of the government to sell on commercial basis," he noted.

Recalling the allotment of plots by Urban Development Authority at Navuluru 30 years ago, he said that the government did not provide any infrastructure to the plots even after 30 years. 'The 400-acre layout looks like a forest now,' he pointed out. Babu Rao demanded that the lands given by the farmers at Amaravati remained undeveloped even after six years and they should also be developed immediately. He recalled that the previous government raised Rs 1,000 crore by mortgaging the Navuluru layout and the government should make it clear whether the fresh layout is free from encumbrance. The people would face problem if it was mortgaged, he said.

There are other lands at Navuluru, which were allotted to IT SEZ and Singapore Township and since they were not used, they should also be taken back and use them for development activities, he demanded.

Babu Rao hailed the government decision to give 20 percent discount to the employees and demanded that the people of Amaravati should be given

50 per cent discount on the same lands.

CPM leaders M Ravi, Bhagyaraju and others accompanied Babu Rao.