Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu introduced land pooling scheme to acquire lands from farmers and other people for the construction of new capital. While some hailed his scheme, which they felt attractive many farmers protested and refused to part with their fertile lands. Opposition parties started protests and YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy started Rythu Bharoja Yatra and is going on promising farmers that all their lands would be returned if voted to power.
More recently Power Star Pawan Kalyan too sided with the farmers and yesterday visiting Guntur district threatened to go on hunger strike if land acquisition is done in forcible manner. He even questioned why lands are needed for capital construction and whether anyone requires Singapore like capital.
Now a fomer IAS officer MG.Devasahayam exposed Chandra Babu, branding him as Land pooling Babu and comparing Land Pooling Project as real estate project. He said “fancy and unsustainable project and instead build an administrative capital on about 5,000 to 6,000 acres of dry land that can also provide for a population of over 10 lakh“.
He adds “All the farmer gets is Land Pooling Ownership Certificate (LPOC) with verbal assurance that these reconstituted plots can fetch Rs 1 lakh per square yard in five years. This is neither a legal document nor a guarantee,“ and says “While executing DAPoA with land own ers who have given consent, CRDA should give a `buy-back-bond' for Rs 1 lakh per square yard, guaranteed and underwritten by the state government and redeemable on expiry of five years from the date of signing of the DAPoA.“ He called for amendment in CRDA act and it has to be seen how Chandra Babu responds to these charges.
