TDP, Congress allege Rs 6,500 cr scam in Andhra housing scheme

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 26 : A day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched his flagship housing programme for poor, the opposition parties on Saturday accused the state government of misappropriating Rs 6,500 crore under the scheme.
Terming it 'Scheme for Scam', Telugu Desam Party (TDP) demanded a CBI probe into the matter. The party spokesperson K Pattabhiram said, "YS Jaganmohan Reddy government has committed a huge scam amounting to Rs 6,500 crore out of which Rs 4,500 crore is involved in acquiring lands at higher rates. Lands worth less than Rs 10 lakh per acre were acquired by the government at Rs 65 to 70 lakh per acre."
Pattabhiram also alleged that 40 Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress legislators were involved in this so-called scam. He stated that Rs 2000 crore was allegedly swindled in the name of dumping gravel and Rs 500 crore was allegedly forcefully collected from the poor.
Citing it as one of the biggest scams in the country, Pattabhiram said: "The assigned lands of SCs and STs are forcibly grabbed. These plots are in low lying areas, hilltops, mangrove forests and even graveyards. Do you want poor people to stay in such places? Have you ever seen plots being given in graveyards? These plots are not in a condition where the poor can build a house."
The TDP leader further claimed that many people moved court and cases are pending.
Meanwhile, Congress party has also demanded a CBI enquiry into the land purchasing process by the Andhra Pradesh government. Party spokesperson P Y Kiran Kumar said, "Andhra Pradesh government has launched housing for poor scheme yesterday. But what have they given to the beneficiaries? Is it a patta, letter or approval? There is no clarity in the government itself."
He said that the measurements of the lands or plots are not mentioned in it. "There is a conspiracy in procuring the land. The government purchased private lands for a higher rate. The chief minister spoke of castes in Amaravati region. Such utterances are bad for the state. This government is trying to inject caste politics in every aspect," stated Kumar.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday launched the Navaratnalu Pedalandariki Illu (Houses for Poor) programme on Friday at Komaragiri layout of U Kothapalli Mandal of Pithapuram assembly constituency in East Godavari district.
In regard to this project, the Chief Minister said that the government had acquired 68,361 acres of land worth Rs 23,535 crore, where each beneficiary will receive land costing around Rs 4 lakh.