YSRCP leader Botcha urges Centre to order a probe into allegations against Kakinada SEZ promoters

Leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Botcha Satyanarayana has appealed to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to order an inquiry into the allegations made by TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu about the promoters of the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) project.

Leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Botcha Satyanarayana has appealed to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to order an inquiry into the allegations made by TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu about the promoters of the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) project.

In a letter to the Union Minister on Friday (December 13), Mr. Satyanarayana noted that the policy framework for the SEZ was announced by the Union Ministry of Commerce in 2000.

Consequently, many State governments, including Andhra Pradesh, initiated action to implement the scheme. The Andhra Pradesh government acquired around 10,000 acres of land from farmers in Kakinada to facilitate the establishment of the SEZ by a private promoter. The government allotted the land to K.V. Rao, the main promoter, as per the conditions laid down in the Government of India policy.

Mr. Satyanarayana noted that the SEZ was proposed and supported by then TDP government in the undivided Andhra Pradesh. In the later years, there were massive agitations by farmers from whom the land was acquired at a cheaper price. After the YSRCP government came to power, then Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy resolved to return 2,180 acres of land to the farmers.

Meanwhile, TDP senior leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu wrote a letter to his party president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, making serious allegations about the KSEZ project, the land acquisition and mismanagement by the project promoters. Mr. Ramakrishnudu alleged that K.V. Rao, the original promoter, who was selected by the TDP, had swindled a huge amount of money by selling the acquired land to subsequent promoters.

The TDP leader also alleged severe deviations, improprieties and irregularities in the whole project, including violation of ecological norms.

Mr. Satyanarayana said that as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, it was his responsibility to bring all the issues to the notice of the Central government. He appealed to the Union Minister to order a probe into the issues and initiate remedial action.