For the second year in a row, the Telangana government's intentions to raise Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore by selling government land seem to have been facing a roadblock. Despite the fact that the government had identified several land parcels in the city and the adjacent Rangareddy district for auctioning in order to earn funds, it was unable to do so because of the first wave of Covid-19 last year and now the second wave.  

State Government Land Auctions 

Senior officials are concerned since the third wave of the pandemic is expected to arrive in the third quarter of this year, and land sales may be halted as well. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) performed its last land auction in December 2019, whereas the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) hosted one in May 2017.  

About 2,000 acres of land, including allotted land in the city and its surrounding areas, have been identified for land auction by the municipal administration and revenue departments. Last year, the HMDA began the development of a layout on 200 acres of land (130 to 140 acres developed land) in posh Kokapet, and the project is close to completion. 

The authority was awaiting government approval before proceeding with the auction. In Maheshwaram Mandal, roughly 1,500 acres of allotted land have been identified in Kongara Khurd, Raviryal, and Thummaloor villages in Rangareddy and Medchal districts. Because the land was not being used for agriculture, the government wanted to reclaim it from the farmers by offering compensation. 

A senior official stated that the government can also proceed with a land sale right away. However, due to the real estate sector's slowdown as a result of Covid 19, the government may not be able to obtain a good and competitive price at this time.

By: Shailaja K