Patna, April 16: Land revenue minister Narendra Narayan Yadav today announced a probe into violation in lease of government Khas Mahal land in Patna and action within two months.
He was responding to a question by BJP MLA Achudanand in the Assembly. The minister said around 633 persons had been given prime land spread over 136 acres on lease for 30 years in 1952. Some of the best-known hotels, clubs and commercial buildings are on Khas Mahal land. In 2011, the Nitish government framed a new policy for Khas Mahal land. "We give a thirty years lease and take 5 per cent of the market price at the time of making of the lease and the annual tax imposed on them is 0.5 per cent of the market rate. We have leased the area for residential, commercial and office use," Narendra said.
But BJP MLA Achudanand alleged the agreement had been violated and land for residents was being used for commercial purpose. Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary agreed and said the minister should cancel lease of deal violators. The minister announced he would probe the issue within two months.
Urban development minister Awadhesh Kushwaha was at the receiving end of the Opposition when he conceded that funds for new water pipelines, sewerage and other facilities had been released as late as December. Responding to a question by Nitin Navin of the BJP, the minister said the tender process was on and it would take time to allot work to contractors. The minister said tender papers for house-to-house collection of garbage would be opened on May 7 but did not specify how many wards would benefit.
The House witnessed a row after BJP's Prem Kumar raised an incident in Nepura village of Nalanda where the police entered a house on the orders of the sub-divisional officer and assaulted women. Minister Vijay Choudhary assured action.
JDU and RJD MLAs had a verbal duel with the BJP over the state of national highways. "If the central government is not repairing national highways, the state government should do it with its own money," RJD MLA Bhai Birendar said.
