Brahmani Steels Land Row Returns
The long-pending controversy over land allotted to Brahmani Steels has resurfaced in Andhra Pradesh after the state government initiated steps to reclaim thousands of acres originally allocated for a proposed integrated steel plant in Kadapa district. The move has reignited political and administrative debate over the project's history and the allegations surrounding it.
In 2007, the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy allotted nearly 14,000 acres to Brahmani Steels, owned by Gali Janardhan Reddy. The allocation included about 10,760 acres for a steel plant, 3,115 acres for an airport, and additional land parcels. The company was also granted access to iron ore from the Obulapuram mines as captive resources, while mining rights were extended to the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
The project promised an investment capable of producing two million tonnes of steel annually, creating around 10,000 direct jobs and nearly one lakh indirect employment opportunities. However, the proposed steel plant was never established, leaving the project incomplete and raising concerns over the utilisation of the allotted land.
Attention later shifted to mining operations in Obulapuram, which became the centre of allegations involving illegal iron ore extraction and exports between 2007 and 2009. The government's latest decision to reclaim the land has once again brought the Brahmani Steels controversy into public and political focus.
