AP Legislative Council approves key bills for land and local governance

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council has given the green light to two important bills passed by the State Legislative Assembly. The bills approved are the AP Assigned Lands (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the AP Village Ward Secretariats (Amendment) Bill 2026.

During the session, Minister Anani Satya Prasad addressed the House regarding the Assigned Lands Act Amendment Bill. He confirmed that the Council had approved the amendment, which had also received approval in the Assembly last Thursday. The Minister explained that the amendment allows for the allocation of assigned lands for clean energy projects through leasing arrangements.

He stated that the lease rate has been set at Rs. 31,000 per acre annually, with a provision to increase the lease amount by five percent every two years. The Minister highlighted that this would provide assignees with a stable income, especially for barren and fallow lands. He emphasised the importance of clean energy for industrial development in the state and noted that some lands would be leased with the full consent of the owners under a tripartite agreement, ensuring their protection.

Minister Satya Prasad projected that this initiative could pave the way for clean energy projects worth Rs. 10 lakh crore, creating employment for approximately 7.5 lakh people directly and indirectly.

Additionally, the Council approved the Andhra Pradesh Village Ward Secretariat (Amendment) Bill, which proposes transforming village and ward secretariats into 'Golden Village' and 'Golden Ward' areas, respectively.