HYDERABAD: Hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and loss of revenue since the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, the Telangana government has decided to auction unutilized prime land parcels to raise money.
Four committees have been constituted by the government, with a steering committee headed by chief secretary Somesh Kumar for smooth conduct of land auctions.
A standard operation procedure was also released by the government (GO 13) on Thursday.
The state government was planning to auction unutilized government land, including assigned land for the past couple of years mainly to mobilize funds for various developmental works, including irrigation projects.
Authorities said they need some Rs 20,000 crore required in the current financial year.
Some land parcels have already been identified for selling under the HMDA’s jurisdiction.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in his earlier review meetings said the state had lost about Rs 50,000 crore in revenue during the first wave of Covid 19 lockdown and pending arrears from the Centre and another Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore in the second wave.
But the state has more financial commitments such as payment under rythu bandhu to farmers this agriculture season, additional financial burden due to hike in salaries to the state government employees and salary arrears.
The government requires more funds to enhance health department budget for infrastructure facilities in hospitals and construction of super-speciality hospitals in Hyderabad and Warangal and completion of irrigation projects such as Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.
The Industries and Commerce department, which released the GO on land auction, said that the concerned district collectors should ensure the lands are litigation free for e-auction and clear demarcation of lands be done.
The respective committee and officials has to ensure time bound approval and change of land use of the identified land and declare the lands as “multipurpose use” and notify under appropriate zoning.
Nodal departments would be delegated powers to approve the special terms and conditions and tentative schedule for conduct of e-Auction which will also be given powers of fixing of upset price considering the prevailing market rates.
A committee will be constituted at nodal department under the concerned principal secretary to government to finalise bids and approve.