In a major policy decision, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to reverse the allocation of house sites made under the R-5 zone in Amaravati during the previous YSRCP government.
At the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) meeting held at Secretariat on Saturday, the chief minister instructed the Revenue Department to issue notices for reclaiming lands that had been transferred under the R-5 zoning category.
During the previous regime led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, nearly 50,000 beneficiaries from urban and rural areas of Vijayawada and Guntur districts were allotted house sites in the R-5 zone of Amaravati under the “Housing for All” scheme.
Approximately 900 acres belonging to APCRDA were transferred to the Revenue Department for this purpose.
However, APCRDA officials have reportedly stated that these allocations were inconsistent with the Amaravati Master Plan and could disrupt planned urban development.
The chief minister has now directed that eligible beneficiaries be allotted house sites in their respective local areas in accordance with the state government’s policy. He also instructed district collectors to proceed with land pooling or acquisition processes as necessary.
Further, it was noted that payments due to APCRDA for the transferred lands had not been made by the Revenue Department. Consequently, final notices are to be issued and steps initiated to restore the lands to APCRDA control. The R-5 zone will be maintained as it existed prior to 2023.
The decision marks a significant rollback of land policy measures undertaken during the previous administration and is expected to have both administrative and political implications.