Andhra Pradesh: Stop land allotments, scrap Swiss Challenge, Opposition parties told

Vijayawada: Opposition parties are up in arms against the state government over the Swiss Challenge method for capital construction and allotment of land being made to various educational institutions in the capital region.

A roundtable conference, held with representatives of various political parties, student organisations and civil society organisations, on Saturday lamented the decision of allotting land to educational institutions in the capital region at throwaway prices.

The roundtable passed resolutions demanding scrapping of the Swiss Challenge method completely. The participants also demanded the government withdraw land allotments made to private educational institutions and to establish government educational institutions instead.

CPM capital region convener Ch. Baburao said that the state government should withdraw the objectionable method of choosing the master developer of the capital city. He said the Vijay Kelkar Committee and the High Court have also found fault with the Swiss Challenge method.

Former MLC K.S. Laxman Rao said the state government was acting against the interests of the farmers of the capital region and was favouring corporate houses. He said the promise of free education given by the government to students of capital region remained a shallow one, and added that instead of encouraging state-run organisations, the government was giving land to private institutions.

The roundtable was attended by CPM, CPI, Congress, CPI (ML) New Democracy, Lok Satta, SFI, PDSU, DYFI and Taxpayers Association of Vijayawada.