Telangana seeks Centre’s intervention in resolving issues pertaining to vast lands allotted to CPSUs-OxBig News Network

The Telangana government has sought the intervention of the Central government in resolving the issues pertaining to vast tracts of lands allotted to the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) in the past.

The Government of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh allotted huge lands to the Central government institutions in 1960s at concessional prices as part of measures for industrial development and employment generation. However, several of these institutions were either shut down or stopped production in due course leaving lands unutilised, Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu said.

Mr. Sridhar Babu called on Union Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday seeking his intervention in resolution of the problems related to lands allotted to the CPSUs. He explained that few firms were reportedly making efforts to change the category of lands so that they could be put to use commercially.

He informed the Union Minister that Hindustan Cables was allotted 324.87 acres in Medchal-Malkajgiri district and Hindustan Fluorocarbons 126.33 acres in Sangareddy district while IDPL was allotted 551.03 acres in Medchal-Malkajgiri district. Other CPSUs for which land allocation was made included HMT (888.05 acres) in Medchal-Malkajgiri, Cement Corporation of India (2,272.85 acres) in Adilabad and Ordinance Factory (3,020 acres) in Sangareddy.

Mr. Sridhar Babu explained to the Union Minister that the unutilised lands and disinvestment process initiated by the Centre without alternatives was adversely affecting the State’s development. The reported moves to hand over lands to private firms without providing compensation would result in losses to the State government.

He therefore wanted the Union government to ensure special focus on these issues for devising policy guidelines for utilisation of the lands for intended purposes that could in turn benefit the State. The Union Minister positively responded to the request and assured Mr. Sridhar Babu that he would convene a meeting on the issue shortly for finalising the future course of action.