Vijayawada: The previous TD government had issued heavy discounts on land rates to various projects arbitrarily without even consulting the nodal agency of investments the state industries department between 2014 and 2019.
Adding up various amounts of concessions given to various projects, by the previous TD government, as per government orders, APIIC provided a discount on land cost for Rs 619 crore from June 2014 to June 2019.
These allotments were made based on a proposed investment of Rs 2,915 crore and projected generation of 1.14 lakh jobs.
In past five years, based on the proposals received, the State Investment Promotion Board and Cabinet approved proposals for various incentives to certain companies.
Certain proposals provided subsidy on the price of land allotted to the companies and subsequently, Orders to this effect were issued by various government departments without consulting the state Industry Department or APIIC.
Based on these GOs, APIIC made allotments to 48 projects in past five years where the cost of land paid by the company was lower than the cost of land fixed by its Price Fixation and Infrastructure committee.
These allotments span across an extent of 2,923 acres in eight districts with Chittoor and Anantapur districts having 19 units each.
The extent of land allotted was also highest in Chittoor at 1,291 acres while 914 acres were allotted in Anantapur at these concessional rates.
The various amounts of concessions given to these 48 projects, following government orders, by APIIC totalled Rs 619 crore from June 2014 to June 2019. These allotments were made based on a proposed investment of Rs 2,915 crore and projected generation of 1.14 lakh jobs.
Presently, 19 of these allotments spanning 914 acre have been implemented. Another two units spanning 830 acre are nearing completion. Still another seven units spread across 204 acres are in various stages of implementation and remaining 20 allottees, in 967 acres, have either not started any work on the allotted land or have not taken up possession of the land. These 20 allottees proposed an investment of Rs 9,590 crore and projected generation of 55,243 jobs.
“We will review wall these land allotments especially those who did not yet start operations,” said a senior official of the state government.
