Andhra Pradesh to decide on hike in land values today

Hyderabad: The AP government will take a decision on increasing the market value of lands in the Cabinet meeting on Friday.

The revenue department has sent the file, proposing increasing of market value of land in the state by about 30 per cent to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, for approval. Revenue minister K.E. Krishna Murthy had approved the file.

Mr Naidu, however, had asked revenue officials to rethink increasing the market value of land and had sent the file back on Thursday.

According to sources, Mr Naidu was of the opinion that if the market value was increased, it would become an additional burden to the people at the time of registrations. Moreover it would also become a problem for the government while acquiring land for construction of the new capital.

Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishna Murthy, told DC that the government would take a decision on this issue on Friday in the Cabinet meeting. He also denied reports that the government was going to increase stamps and registration charges on land transactions.

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet will most probably decide on the dates of the Assembly’s Budget Session on Friday.

Sources said the session may start from August 16 or 18.

AP Assembly Speaker, Mr Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, had recently indicated that the Budget Session was likely to start from August 16. But since it is a Saturday, the government may decide to start the Session on Monday, August 18.