‘Premium plot for low-value land’ : Congress leaders accuse Chhattisgarh government of providing undue benefits to Minister’s wife

The opposition Congress party has accused the Vishnu Deo Sai government of providing excessive benefits to State Minister Kedar Kashyap's wife through a town development scheme in Raipur. The party has demanded an investigation into the procedural lapses, claiming that Radhika Palace Private Limited, where Shanti Kashyap serves as a director, was granted a commercial plot in a prime location in exchange for a piece of land with significantly lower value.

The BJP has dismissed the allegations as baseless, while the Raipur Development Authority (RDA) maintains that the allotment was made in accordance with the rules. The MR-43 Urban Development Scheme allows the RDA to acquire land from landowners and return 40% of the land post-development. However, Congress leaders argue that the final plot, which will be valued at over ₹20 crore once the road is constructed, is located far from the original land, violating the Chhattisgarh Town and Country Planning Act, 1973.

They also point out that the land acquired from the landowners is worth only a few lakh rupees, whereas the plot given in exchange is situated on a major road. The RDA vice chairman claims that the relocation of land parcels was necessary to comply with NGT guidelines, but BJP spokesperson Shivnarayan Pandey dismisses the allegations as baseless, questioning the valuation figures used by the Congress.