KTR calls for dharnas across Telangana demanding free Layout Regulation Scheme

HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday called for dharnas in all constituencies on March 6 demanding a free Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) for the people of Telangana.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Monday, KTR said the Congress government should provide Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) free of cost. He said the Congress government, which had earlier promised free LRS, should fulfill it and provide it free of cost to 25,44,000 people who had applied for the LRS in the state. The State Government was planning to rake in a moolah of Rs. 20,000 crore by from the LRS.

KTR questioned the purpose of fixing the LRS deadline as March 31, 2024, and stressed that without free LRS, families would face a financial burden of Rs. 1 lakh each.

KTR also questioned the necessity of collecting the LRS fee for lands whose registration had already been completed.

He said that it was not appropriate to force 25 lakh families to pay LRS fee by March 31, 2024. He called for dharnas at HMDA, GHMC offices, and constituency centers on March 6, 2024, and underscored the need for people's unity in fighting this.

KTR said that BRS leaders and workers would protest across the state in support of the people and later submit petitions on behalf of the victims to District Collectors and Revenue Divisional Office (RDOs).

He recalled Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka's statement about scrapping the LRS, if the Congress came to power and sought to know why the promise was reneged. KTR alleged that the Congress government was collecting money through the LRS with the intention of extracting Rs. 20,000 crores from the people.

KTR said that he would also approach court on behalf of his party against the LRS collections. He criticised the negative propaganda spread by the Congress regarding the LRS scheme announced under the BRS government.

He recalled that from August 30 to October 31, 2020, 25.44 lakh applications were submitted for the LRS. Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, now Telangana Minister, took the matter to court and argued against the BRS for charging a fee of Rs. 1,000 for layout registration.

KTR criticised minister Uttam Kumar Reddy for supporting the LRS before the election and changing his stance post-election. He accused the Congress of displaying a dual standard.