The Andhra Pradesh cabinet has cleared the allotment of over 22 acres of prime land to Cognizant Technology Solutions at a nominal rate of just Rs 0.99 per acre, raising questions about the generous incentives being offered to major corporations.
In a meeting held at the state secretariat on Tuesday, June 24, the cabinet approved the allotment of 22.19 acres of land at Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam (Survey Nos. 394–397) to Cognizant for setting up a technology park. The land was allotted through the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) under the state’s Information Technology and Global Capability Center (GCC) Policy 4.0.
Announcing the decision, Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said the project represents a Rs 1,582.98 crore investment and is expected to generate over 8,000 direct jobs, reinforcing Visakhapatnam’s reputation as a growing hub for IT and GCC operations.
However, the highly subsidised lease of Rs 0.99 per acre, amounting to roughly Rs 22 for the entire 22.19-acre plot, has sparked debate over the extent of concessions being offered to large corporations in the name of attracting investment.
The cabinet also approved the proposal for the second phase of land pooling in Amaravati covering an additional 44,000 acres to accelerate capital development.
The Minister assured uniform implementation of rules and strict adherence to environmental guidelines set by the NGT and Supreme Court. Provisions include free education and healthcare for local farmers, resolution of boundary disputes, and fast-tracking the construction of previously launched government buildings.
Construction firms, including NCC Limited, Larsen and Toubro, and Shapoorji Pallonji, have been tasked with executing the General Administrative Department and Head of Department offices at Amaravati.