The Chandrababu Naidu government is getting ready to give land worth hundreds of crores of rupees to Ramdev Baba, the head of the Patanjali company and spiritual yoga guru who is involved in controversial businesses, in the name of establishing tourism and yoga wellness centers in Visakhapatnam district.
It is surprising that even the top revenue officials of the district, who participated in Ramdev Baba’s tour of Visakhapatnam district three days ago, asked him to tell them where the lands he want? During the previous government, 15 acres worth over Rs. 220 crores were given to Swaroopananda Swamy of Sharada Peetham.
After the TDP coalition government came to power, those GOs were canceled and now there is criticism that another Baba is being enslaved. It is becoming clear that the Chandrababu Naidu government is ready to give 15 acres in Bhimili to Ramdev Baba, who is allegedly doing real estate business by taking lands for companies in many places in the country.
It seems that Ramdev Baba has shown interest in the 15 acres previously allotted to Sharada Peetham. The TDP coalition government that came to power in 2024 cancelled the GOs given by the previous government to Sharada Peetham in Kothavalasa village of Bhimili mandal.
The state government decided on September 14, 2012, that government lands should not be given to private companies. If it is mandatory, at least ten percent of the market price of the land should be collected from the private company per year in the case of such lands.
The market price in Kothavalasa, based on the prices fixed by the state registration department, is Rs. 1.2 crore per acre. Without even considering that, the then government allotted lands to Sharada Peetha cheaply. Today, there are criticisms that the coalition government is also going down the same path.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, in its verdict in the Jagpal Singh case on January 28, 2011, said that government lands should be used only for public purposes. They should not be transferred to private organizations. Retired IAS officer EAS Sarma deplored that it is highly objectionable that the head of a private organization recently visited Bhimili along with officials and conducted land searches.
However, “We have not received any information from the government so far regarding the allotment of land to Ramdev Baba in Bhimili mandal,” said Visakhapatnam Joint Collector Mayur Ashok.