Hyderabad: According to official records, in the CRDA limits, 348 acres of assigned land has changed hands. In addition, hundreds of acres of assigned land has changed hands after CRDA started the land pooling exercise. If the Act is amended, the encroachers and illegal purchasers of assigned lands in CRDA limits will benefit to the tune of hundreds of crore of rupees.
The state government has issued a circular to all district collectors asking for the latest position on assigned lands in their respective districts. Once the government allows selling of assigned lands, those who had purchased land illegally in the past can register it in their names.
In this context, a recent comment made by AP CM Chandrababu Naidu is significant. He had said that beneficiaries should have the right to sell assignment lands.
Across the state lakhs of acres of assigned lands have changed hands over the years. According to official records, the state government has distributed about 28 lakh acres of land to beneficiaries. Of this, 7 lakh acre have changed hands and another 3 lakh acres does not have correct records.
In villages, beneficiaries sell the land for low prices due to financial constraints while in some cases, assigned lands have been forcefully taken over from beneficiaries.
There wasn’t any ban on selling assigned lands before 1954. In that year, the Centre banned selling of assigned lands. In 1977, both sale and purchase both were banned. However, illegal transactions of assigned land have continued throughout the state.
Thousands of acres of assigned land have changes hands recently in and around the CRDA limits. Big politicians have illegally purchased these lands and surprisingly, registrations have also been done in their names.
Once the government amends Act 9 of 1977, giving the right to sell assigned lands, the lands purchased in the past will automatically be legalised. While the ex gratia for the assigned lands paid by CRDA should go to go the actual beneficiaries, after the amendment the benefit will go the illegal (before amendment of the Act) purchasers.
Principal secretary of revenue J.C. Sarma said that the chief commissioner of land administration (CCLA) has sent a circular to all district collectors asking for the latest position of assigned lands in their respective districts. Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Sarma said that the government wants to amend Act 9 of 1977.
He added that purchasers of assigned lands prior to 1954 were also facing hardships and the Cabinet would decide what amendments should be brought about in the Act.
Sub-registrar in the dock for illegal deals
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Revenue department has directed IG, Registrations to book a criminal case against the suspended Mangalagiri sub registrar for illegal registration of assignment lands.
The official had registered hundreds of acres of assigned land in the name of others, including some politicians.
According to preliminary information received by the Revenue department, names of politicians and those of relatives of some ministers also feature in the list of illegal purchases of assigned lands.
After suspending the sub registrar, the Revenue department has taken a decision to book a criminal case according to the rules under Act 9 of 1977. Top sources meanwhile say that some ministers are pressuring Revenue officials not to proceed with the criminal case against the suspended sub registrar.
The official in question meanwhile told top Revenue officials that the politicians whom he had helped were not coming to his rescue and that he was being made a scapegoat.
