Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy
Speaking to reporters on the assembly premises, the minister said chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s remarks on KCR’s farmhouse were based on inputs received from local residents. “If the survey reveals that govt land exists within the farmhouse area, the govt will take over the land as per the legal procedures and consider using it for the welfare of eligible poor families, especially Dalits,” the minister said. The minister said the govt was committed to permanently resolving land disputes by reconciling revenue records with the ground reality. He maintained that both the chief minister and he possessed documentary and official evidence to support their statements and said the facts would emerge once the survey was completed. Ponguleti also said the govt would examine lands declared by former minister T Harish Rao in his election affidavits, his present holdings, physical possession, and properties held in the names of trusts or other entities. On allegations that members of Harish Rao’s family had purchased land from an ex-serviceman, the minister said all registration documents, pattas and related records would be scrutinised. He said he had taken up the land only for development purposes and had been engaged in business long before entering politics.
Transactions involving lands belonging to freedom fighters and ex-servicemen would also be examined, and action would be initiated if any irregularities were detected. The minister clarified that he had no direct ownership of the Vattinagulapally land under discussion. Hyderabad : Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Friday said officials have begun a field survey of lands surrounding BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao’s farmhouse at Erravelli, asserting that any govt land found under private occupation would be reclaimed through due process.