Assembly to discuss HILT Policy today
Hyderabad: TheTelangana Legislative Assembly is scheduled to take up a short discussion on the controversial Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation (HILT) Policy on Monday. However, there is uncertainty over the participation of the main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which announced on Friday its boycott of the rest of session, after being denied permission to make a presentation in the House.
The BRS, which had made details of the HILT Policy public alleging it to be a “massive land scam”, well before the Government Order (GO) was issued, is now in a dilemma over whether to attend the Assembly or not. Party sources said a decision would be taken on Monday morning, depending on whether Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu appeals to the party to participate in the proceedings.
However, according to sources, the government may not reach out to the BRS, since it is reportedly upset over the party’s announcement regarding boycott of the rest of the session.
This being so, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has also been sharply critical of the HILT Policy, is attending the Assembly, though it staged a walkout on Saturday during the short discussion on the Krishna River water shares. So, political observers are keen to see how the BJP targets the state government during the discussion.
Both BRS and BJP have strongly opposed the HILT Policy, with the BRS alleging that it involves a “land scam worth Rs 5 lakh crore”. The controversy deepened after the state government ordered a vigilance inquiry into the alleged leak of details of the HILT Policy to the BRS before the issuance of GO Ms No. 27 on November 22, 2025.
The state government has maintained that the HILT Policy aims to convert about 9,292 acres of old industrial lands within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) into ‘mixed-use’ zones, allowing their use for residential, commercial, and IT offices.
Landowners would be allowed to change land use by paying a one-time fee ranging from 30 to 50 per cent of the Sub-Registrar Office rates.
Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu stated that the policy is expected to generate Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 crore in revenue, with 25 per cent earmarked for the development of new industrial parks.
The government insists that no government land is being handed over and that the policy is intended to rationalize land use.
However, opposition parties have termed the policy “a real estate-driven move benefiting politically connected developers at the cost of industries and employment”.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao warned that the policy would be scrapped if the BRS returned to power and said an Act would be brought to nullify it.
He also cautioned industrialists against participating in what he described as a “massive land scam”.
Legal challenges have also been mounted against the policy. Praja Shanthi Party president Dr K A Paul and retired professor K Purushotham Reddy have filed petitions seeking suspension of the GO.
The Telangana High Court, however, declined to stay the GO, though a bench comprising Justice P Sam Koshy and Justice S Chalapathi Rao issued notices to the state and union governments in this regard.
