Extending seed capital area to benefit private players

Hyderabad: Reiterating that the Chandrababu Naidu government has been going all out on commercial lines in the capital region and leaving farmers in the lurch, YSR Congress party said that the extension of the seed capital area is only to further pursue the commercial agenda of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

"Initially the state has said that it is having tie-up with Singapore Government but later it became a joint venture between the CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) and two Singapore based private companies and the process has been progressing on commercial lines much to the disadvantage of the farmers and to the benefit of the corporates," party MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy told reporters here on Thursday.

CRDA, in association with two private companies of Singapore, is now carrying out the task of building the capital city and has sought an extension of seed capital area from 8 sq km to 20 sq km which would unsettle the farmers for the advantage of the commercialization of the region, he said.

Nearly 15 to 20 villages come under the extended region of capital in the extent of 20 sq km and CRDA has in its guidelines said that there would no private activity within the region, he pointed out adding the extension would directly impact the villagers. "Not just those who went to court but also those who voluntarily gave up their land are at a disadvantage as they have to move out to the low lying areas which is said to have been set aside for the displaced persons," Ramakrishna said.

"YSRCP stand has been very clear that we are not against the capital city but we are against the entrepreneurship in the name of capital city and cheating of farmers to benefit private foreign companies and a favoured few," he said. The farmers are not even getting capital gains exemption and are at a disadvantage since the beginning and we question the veracity of the agreement with private firms in the new capital which leaves the farmers in the lurch, he said.