The State government has resolved to take stringent action against those encroaching endowment lands.
The government has decided to identify the endowment properties lying unused in different parts of the State and take steps to use them effectively for generating more revenue to the department. Endowments Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy directed the officials concerned to focus on steps that will ensure more revenue to the department.
Reviewing the status of endowments’ lands in the GHMC limits with senior officials, the Minister accompanied by his Cabinet colleague T. Srinivas Yadav, directed the officials to explore ways through which the revenue of the department could be significantly enhanced. The emphasis should be on the properties that were leased out at nominal rates, and the officials should identify properties that were given on sub-leases, he said.
Effort should be made to revisit the decades-old leasing process as well as the rent that is being paid to the department.
Officials informed the Ministers that plans have been prepared for constructing shopping complexes and function halls on the endowment lands in and around the twin cities at an estimated cost of ₹55 crore.
The department had conducted a special drive through which 1,300 acres of lands belonging to the department were identified and reclaimed. Protective fencing had been put up around another 21,000 acres of land in different parts of the State.
The Ministers directed the officials to take steps to effectively present the department’s case pertaining to lands in litigation, and the department could appoint legal officers if need be in this direction.
The Minister wanted the department to constitute special task force in coordination with the police to vacate encroachers on temple lands.
Endowments Secretary V. Anil Kumar and other senior officials were present.