Naidu urges Centre to clear AP Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill

Vijayawada:Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a series of discussions with Union ministers to take the state’s developmental and other proposals forward and plead for liberal sanction of funds.

Addressing the media later, the Chief Minister highlighted the critical issues facing the state. Naidu said he held talks with home minister Amit Shah, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and roads minister Nithin Gadkari.

He raised the issue land grabbing in Andhra Pradesh, saying six out of ten legal cases in the state pertained to land disputes. “The absence of proper checks and balances in the land computerization process has led to large-scale encroachments, with private lands even being included under Section 22E and taken over,” he said.

Naidu explained that both urban and rural areas were affected by this and urged the Centre to clear the AP Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill. He cited Gujarat’s existing model as a precedent and said the burden of proof should rest on the grabber, not the complainant, to curb such illegal activities.

In his talks with Amit Shah, the chief minister raised law enforcement concerns, including the prevalence of bootlegging and illicit drug cultivation in AP. He praised the EAGLE force, saying it was effectively controlling the cultivation of ganja.

Naidu reiterated his government's zero-tolerance policy towards drugs and heinous crimes. To support farmers, the CM assured incentives for alternative crops to replace ganja cultivation with cash crops, and pledged continued efforts to eliminate such illicit activities.

Discussing his state’s financial situation with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Naidu criticised the previous government, saying it left behind `10 lakh crore in outstanding arrears, thereby creating a saturated loan scenario.

Despite this, he claimed a recent economic growth for the state, reporting a 12.94 per cent increase overall and a 15.86 per cent growth in the agricultural sector. He stressed the need to boost the service sector and achieve a sustainable 15 per cent growth rate to create wealth rather than relying on borrowing.

Water resource management was another key topic in his discussions with the central ministers. The CM underscored the importance of interlinking rivers to prevent water wastage and provide irrigation to drought-prone regions like Rayalaseema.

He proposed linking Polavaram to Banakacharla, along with the Vamsadhara, Nagavalli, Penna and Krishna rivers, ensuring efficient water distribution. He stated that 200tmc-ft of water, which currently went waste or ended up in the sea, could be diverted for agricultural and drinking purposes.

Naidu said infrastructure development was also a priority during his talks with the central ministers. He requested highways minister Nitin Gadkari for the completion of the Amaravati Outer Ring Road, spanning 189km, and emphasized the need for an 8-lane ORR similar to the one he had built in Hyderabad.

The CM also discussed the importance of an eastern bypass road in Andhra Pradesh and proposed solutions to address traffic congestion at Srisailam, including the construction of elevated roads.

The discussions also included proposals for the Vizag to Mulapet coastal road and a direct Hyderabad to Machilipatnam port road, with their DPRs currently in preparation.

Naidu criticised the previous administration’s handling of prohibition, alleging that liquor income had been mortgaged for 25 years. He also addressed concerns regarding demographic trends, noting that South India’s aging population posed challenges, whereas states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have a younger demographic.

He advocated incentives for families to have more children, emphasizing the need for long-term demographic management rather than population control.

Regarding Hindi imposition, Naidu reaffirmed that language should be a tool for communication rather than a barrier to knowledge. He encouraged the policy of promotion of multiple languages and highlighted the necessity for education in one’s mother tongue while also acknowledging Hindi's role in national integration.

The CM emphasized Andhra Pradesh’s potential as a green energy and hydrogen hub, highlighting offers for investments of upto `6.5 lakh crore. He said the state was positioning itself as a prime destination for industries and innovation.