Taking forward the crackdown on unauthorised layouts, joint teams of Revenue and VUDA would launch a drive against those violating the norms and take action, including filing criminal cases. In all, 313 layouts in VUDA purview fall under the category.
Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who held a review on VUDA, the first such in recent times and after the new Vice-Chairman took over, told reporters that steps to safeguard the interests of those who invested money in layout regularisation would be taken up.
During the review, District Collector N. Yuvaraj said in the layouts approach roads were passing through government land and a proposal to allot it on collection of market rate was pending with the government.
The issue of LRS would be taken up with the government as 6,300 applications were pending, the Minister said.
A delegation would represent to the Central Government to waive the Rs.153 crore Income Tax levied on VUDA for providing Rs.1,200 crore as budgetary support to the State Government by auctioning lands here, he said.
The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Development Authority Bill would be introduced in the Assembly session paving the way to bring the Act on it, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.
The Minister said the work of VUDA was not satisfactory during the past six, seven months partly owing to lack of a regular Vice-Chairman.
To improve accountability, a citizen’s charter would be implemented and a toll-free number introduced.
MLAs Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, V. Ramakrishna Babu, Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, Palla Srinivasa Rao, Peela Govinda Satyanarayana, P. Rameshbabu and V. Anitha and Vice-Chairman T. Babu Rao Naidu participated.
