Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday requested the Centre to clear Andhra Pradesh Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, passed by the state assembly, which would go a long way in protection of land in rural and urban areas.
Naidu met Union home minister Amit Shah, finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman and road transport minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi to discuss various important issues related to the state.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, the chief minister said during his meeting with Shah, he discussed the importance of land grabbing prevention in the state through a comprehensive legislation.
“We brought to the notice of the Union home minister that six out of 10 legal cases in the state pertained to land disputes. The absence of proper checks and balances in the land computerisation process has led to large-scale encroachments,” he said.
Naidu pointed out to Shah that even private lands were included under Section 22A of the Registration Act, which prohibits the registration of government lands, assigned lands, and lands belonging to religious institutions both in urban and rural areas.
He said he had urged the Union home minister to clear the AP Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill, citing Gujarat’s existing model as a precedent. He stressed that the burden of proof should rest on the grabber to curb illegal activities.
The chief minister said he had also brought to the notice of Shah about law enforcement concerns, including the prevalence of bootlegging and illicit drug cultivation. He explained the establishment of Elite Anti Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) force for effectively controlling the cultivation of ganja and reiterated his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards drugs and heinous crimes.
During the meeting with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman, Naidu explained how the previous government left behind outstanding arrears to the extent of ₹10 lakh crore. “Despite this, he highlighted the state’s recent economic growth, reporting a 12.94% increase overall and a 15.86% growth in the agricultural sector. He stressed the need to boost the service sector and achieve a sustainable 15% growth rate to create wealth rather than relying on borrowing.
The chief minister also sought financial assistance from the Centre to take up Polavaram-Banakacharla river interlinkage project for the optimum utilisation of Krishna and Godavari river waters. He stated that 200 TMC of water, which currently goes to waste, could be diverted for agricultural and drinking purposes.
Naidu said he had requested Nitin Gadkari about the completion of the Amaravati Outer Ring Road, spanning 189 km, and emphasized the need for an eight-lane ORR similar to the one built in Hyderabad.
He 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.
He also addressed concerns regarding demographic trends, noting that South India’s aging population poses challenges, whereas states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have a younger demographic. He advocated incentives for families to have more children, emphasising 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 promotion of multiple languages and highlighted the necessity for education in one’s mother tongue while also acknowledging Hindi’s role in national integration.