Refuting the allegation that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government had allotted 20 acres United Breweries Limited (UBL) at throw away price in Palakkad district, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash has said that the land deal dated back to 1971.
An official pressnote quoting him said the decision to allot the land at Kanjikode for Premier Breweries Limited was taken in 1971 when N.E. Balram was the Industries Minister. The then Palakkad District Collector had been informed of the decision through a telex message issued by the Minister.
In 1985, the company was issued a temporary title-deed pending a decision on the cost of land. Meanwhile, in 1995, the company was merged with United Breweries Limited promoted by Vijay Mallya.
In 2005, based on the Collector’s report, the government issued an order transferring the land to UBL at a cost of Rs.20,000 a cent.
UB Group later moved the court against the order but later retracted its petition and agreed to pay up Rs.14.04 crore. Subsequently, the Revenue Department handed over the land to the company in 2013.
“It was the government decision in 1971 conveyed through a telex message that culminated in the issue of title-deed to UBL. To depict that as a sell out to Vijay Mallya is part of a deep seated conspiracy against this government,” Mr. Prakash said.
