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Political row erupts over Telangana govt’s land allotment to BRS MP’s foundation
A political slugfest has erupted over a recent decision taken by chief minister A Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government to allot a piece of land to a trust promoted by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Rajya Sabha member Bandi Parthasarathi Reddy
A political slugfest has erupted over a recent decision taken by chief minister A Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government to allot a piece of land to a trust promoted by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Rajya Sabha member Bandi Parthasarathi Reddy. The government has allotted 15 acres of prime land at the upscale Madhapur area of Hyderabad to Sai Sindhu Foundation, a non-profitable organisation headed by Parthasarathi Reddy.
A confidential government order (GO No. 37), allotting the land to Sai Sindhu Foundation, for construction of a hospital for cancer and other life-threatening diseases was issued on March 14, but it was brought to light only on Thursday by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) floor leader in the state assembly A Maheshwar Reddy.
Parthasarathi Reddy is the chairman of Hetero Group of Companies and is the richest MP from Telangana with the family assets worth ₹5,300 crore, as per the declaration he had made during the Rajya Sabha elections in 2022.
Maheshwar Reddy said the pharma tycoon was allotted 15 acres of land at Khanamet near Madhapur on lease for a period of 30 years, which could be extended for another 30 years at a lease amount of ₹5 lakh per acre per year, which comes to around ₹75 lakh per year.
According to the GO, a copy of which was seen by HT, the land was first allotted to Sai Sindhu Foundation promoted by Parthasarathi Reddy way back in March 2018 by the then BRS government headed by K Chandrashekar Rao at a nominal lease amount of ₹1,47,743 per annum with a provision to increase the lease rental by 3% once in every three years.
This decision was challenged by some private individuals in the state high court, which set aside the government order on June 5, 2023. The court asked the state government to reconsider the matter and make the land allotment in accordance with the prescribed policy and law.
Accordingly, the KCR government made a fresh allocation of 15 acres of land to Sai Sindhu Foundation on lease for 30 years (extendable by another 30 years) on an annual lease rent of ₹2 lakh per acre with 5% annual increase of rent.
“Revanth Reddy, who was in opposition then, raised a hue and cry over the land allotment to Parathasarathi’s trust at such a throwaway price, just because he happened to be the Rajya Sabha member of the BRS,” the BJP leader pointed out.
Soon after coming to power, Revanth Reddy in January this year, got the GO cancelled on land allocation to the Hetero Group. “But within two months, the chief minister succumbed to pressure from the Hetero Group chairman and issued a fresh GO, allotting the same piece of land the latter’s trust. Only difference is that the Congress government enhanced the annual lease rent from ₹2 lakh per acre to ₹5 lakh per acre,” Maheshwar Reddy said.
“The present market value of the land allotted to the BRS MP’s foundation is around ₹1500 crore. And this has been given on lease for a nominal rent of ₹75 lakh per annum for 30 years,” the BJP leader alleged. “The government did not even ask for 10% annual hike in the least rent, which is atrocious,” he said.
A Congress leader, who doesn’t want to be quoted, said the chief minister had approved the land allotment to Sai Sindhu Foundation on humanitarian grounds as per the established government policy, following a representation given by the trustees on February 12 this year, stating that it would be a non-profitable venture with no commercial interests.
“The annual lease rent was also increased by two-and-a-half times. Moreover, it will also generate a lot of employment to the local medical professionals and para-medical staff,” the Congress leader said.
