Fri Nov 22 00:41:31 UTC 2024: ## Andhra Pradesh Assembly Passes Seven Bills, Targeting Land Grabbing and Temple Governance

**Vijayawada, November 22, 2024** – The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed seven bills on Wednesday, addressing issues ranging from land grabbing to temple governance and tax amendments. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu highlighted the progress made by the state government in the past 159 days.

A key bill, the A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2024, aims to counteract what Naidu termed the “whimsical” A.P. Land Titling Act of 2022, accusing the YSR Congress Party of using it to aid land grabbing. The new bill seeks to provide stronger protection for private land. Legislator Koona Ravi Kumar raised concerns about ensuring accountability for government officials complicit in land grabbing and clarification on how assigned lands will be handled.

Another significant bill amends the legislation governing charitable and Hindu religious institutions, mandating the inclusion of one representative each from the Brahmin and Nayee Brahmin communities on temple trust boards. Suggestions for including representation from the Viswa Brahmin community were also raised.

The Assembly also repealed the A.P. Infrastructure (Transparency through Judicial Preview) Act of 2019, deemed ineffective in reducing irregularities in government contracts. Other bills passed included amendments to the Goods and Services Tax, Value Added Tax, and laws related to preventing various criminal activities.

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