One more land allotment scam unearthed?

Alleging discrepancies in the allotment of land meant for distribution to the landless, opposition leaders on Friday met Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and demanded a probe into the ‘usurping of thousands of acres of prime land in Ranga Reddy district.’

Talking to media persons after meeting the Revenue Minister, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Joolakanti Venkat Reddy, Telugu Desam Party leader Manchireddy Kishan Reddy and Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Eetala Rajender alleged that the two lakh acres of prime property in Ranga Reddy district, meant to be distributed to the landless from SC, ST and BC, has been allotted to realtors and capitalists in violation of guidelines.

According to the opposition leaders, as much as two lakh acres of land in the State is under the control of autonomous Bhoodan Yagna Board, which was supposed to distribute to the landless.

The Opposition leaders told media persons that they had urged the Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao to spell out the extent of the land, which was allotted to corporate bodies and cancel these allotments.

The leaders revealed that in Ranga Reddy district alone, over 21500 acres was taken over by Bhoodana Yagna Board in 2002, as per the Board's statement.

The Board claims to have distributed over one lakh acres to 42,199 people. The Opposition leaders alleged that that there were discrepancies in the details provided by the Bhoodan Yagna Board.

The Opposition leaders charged that the particulars of land distributed to the landless and balance allegedly kept under the control of the Board do not match and this is a pointer that there was something amiss in the allotments.

Speaking to the press separately, the Opposition leaders claimed the details the Bhoodan Board furnished in respect of the lands meant for distribution are not clear and stated that they had urged the government to scrap the board. They revealed that they had demanded that the Revenue Department take control of the lands in question.

They also called for spot verification of the details to ascertain the factual position and appoint an IAS officer to protect the interests of the people.

Earlier the Revenue Minister is understood to have assured the Opposition leaders that not an inch of land 'will go' and that he would give all the land details after verification within six months.