Amaravati 2.0: More & More Land Pooling?

As we had reported already, the second phase of Amaravati construction is happening very quickly in the capital region. While the stage is being prepared for the re-launch of the Amaravati capital Project, in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, the backend activities are also happening quickly in the background.

In this context, there were several reports pertaining to the land pooling that would be enforced as a part of the Amaravati resumption process.

Urban Development Minister Narayana clarified that no decision has been taken yet regarding the second phase of land acquisition in Amaravati. He stated that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has decided to build an international airport across 5,000 acres, and for that, land is required.

However, local MLAs have suggested land pooling instead of acquisition, as it would be more beneficial for farmers and also facilitate the government-oriented process.

If land is acquired, the compensation is only 2.5 times the registration value, but with land pooling, farmers receive better returns and this what is being suggested.

For the AP Capital, around 30,000 acres would be required, and after allocating returnable plots, roads, drains, and other infrastructure, only 5,000 acres would remain for government use. Therefore, land pooling is seen as the more viable option in this scenario as it makes more fiscal sense as well

Minister Narayana also blamed the previous government’s indecisiveness for delays in Amaravati’s development. He mentioned that 42,360 crore worth of tenders for 68 works have been finalized and construction has begun.

There are several fiscal and financial hurdles that are associated with the project as Andhra Pradesh government plans to complete the Amaravati project in the next three years.