YSRCP alleges ₹112 crore scam in AP laptop procurement for schools
Synopsis
YSRCP has levelled a pointed double charge against the Andhra Pradesh government: a ₹112 crore overpayment on school laptops — at nearly ₹89,000 a unit against a GeM benchmark of ₹38,501 — and a weekend bulldozer operation on farmland with a live High Court petition pending. Both allegations, if substantiated, point to procurement and due-process failures that go beyond routine opposition politics.
Key Takeaways
YSRCP alleged a ₹112 crore irregularity in the Andhra Pradesh Education Department's procurement of 27,672 laptops for government high schools.
Laptops costing ₹45,000–₹50,000 in the open market are allegedly being procured at ₹89,000 each — an excess of nearly ₹40,000 per unit .
Assam procured laptops with similar specifications for ₹38,501 via GeM ; YSRCP alleges AP ignored GeM and Make in India norms.
Contracts allegedly structured to give 70% supply to Shanbe and 30% to Celkon after tender norms were relaxed.
YSRCP legal cell president Manohar Reddy demanded a halt to alleged forced land acquisition in Undavalli , where a writ petition is pending before the High Court .
Farmers in Undavalli are allegedly being offered ₹2.60 crore per acre while nearby land was reportedly bought by TDP leaders for around ₹8 crore per acre .
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), the principal opposition in Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, 12 July alleged a ₹112 crore irregularity in the Education Department's procurement of laptops for government high schools, demanding a CBI inquiry and immediate cancellation of tenders. The allegations were made at a press conference at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, Amaravati.
The Core Allegation
A. Ravichandra, working president of the YSRCP's student wing, claimed that the government is procuring 27,672 laptops for computer laboratories across 3,500 government high schools. He alleged that laptops available in the open market for ₹45,000 to ₹50,000 are being purchased at ₹89,000 each — an excess of nearly ₹40,000 per unit — resulting in an alleged total loss of ₹112 crore to the public exchequer.
Ravichandra further alleged that tender conditions were structured to channel 70 per cent of the supply to a firm named Shanbe and 30 per cent to Celkon, after norms were reportedly relaxed to benefit private contractors. He also alleged that mandatory manufacturer details were replaced with self-declarations, diluting procurement safeguards.
GeM and Make in India Norms Ignored, Claims YSRCP
Ravichandra pointed out that the Assam Education Department procured laptops with comparable specifications for ₹38,501 through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. He alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government ignored both the Centre's Make in India guidelines and GeM norms — paying more than double the Assam benchmark price.
He demanded that Education Minister Nara Lokesh publicly explain the price disparity and disclose the full tender process. The YSRCP student wing warned it would launch statewide protests if the government failed to act.
Undavalli Land Acquisition Row
In a separate set of allegations at the same briefing, YSRCP legal cell president Manohar Reddy demanded an immediate halt to what he described as forced land acquisition in Undavalli. He alleged that the government deployed a large police contingent and bulldozers to destroy standing crops — including banana plantations — and take possession of farmland in Undavalli, Penumaka, and Nidamarru.
Manohar Reddy alleged that farmers in these areas had maintained since 2014 that their land was fertile, three-crop agricultural land, and had raised legal objections. He questioned why the government proceeded with road works despite a writ petition on the acquisition still pending before the High Court, and alleged that the weekend timing was deliberate to deny farmers immediate legal recourse.
Compensation Dispute and Conflict-of-Interest Claim
Manohar Reddy alleged that farmers are being offered approximately ₹2.60 crore per acre in compensation, while nearby land was reportedly purchased for around ₹8 crore per acre by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and their associates. He alleged that the acquired land may subsequently be transferred to private commercial projects under a proposed riverfront development plan.
He demanded action against officials responsible for crop destruction, disclosure of land purchases by TDP leaders in the Undavalli and Penumaka areas, and a stay on all acquisition activity until the High Court delivers its final verdict. The government is yet to formally respond to either set of allegations.
Point of View
501 through a transparent government portal, the ₹89,000 per-unit price in Andhra Pradesh demands a credible official explanation, not just a political rebuttal. The alleged replacement of mandatory manufacturer details with self-declarations is a red flag that procurement watchdogs — not just opposition parties — should scrutinise. On Undavalli, the timing question is serious: proceeding with physical possession of land while a writ petition sits undecided before the High Court risks contempt proceedings and sets a troubling precedent for due process in infrastructure acquisition. The government's silence so far only amplifies the pressure.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ₹112 crore laptop scam alleged by YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh?
YSRCP alleges that the Andhra Pradesh Education Department is procuring 27,672 laptops for government high schools at ₹89,000 each — nearly double the open-market price of ₹45,000–₹50,000 — causing an estimated loss of ₹112 crore to the public exchequer. The party has demanded CBI inquiry and cancellation of the tenders.
Why is the GeM price comparison significant in this case?
The Assam Education Department procured laptops with similar specifications for ₹38,501 through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). YSRCP alleges that Andhra Pradesh ignored GeM and Make in India guidelines, paying more than double the benchmark price without justification.
Which companies are named in the alleged laptop procurement irregularity?
YSRCP's student wing working president A. Ravichandra alleged that tender conditions were structured to award 70 per cent of the supply to a firm named Shanbe and 30 per cent to Celkon, after procurement norms were reportedly relaxed to benefit these private contractors.
What is the Undavalli land acquisition controversy raised by YSRCP?
YSRCP legal cell president Manohar Reddy alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government deployed police and bulldozers to forcibly acquire farmland in Undavalli, Penumaka, and Nidamarru, destroying standing crops including banana plantations — even as a writ petition against the acquisition remains pending before the High Court.
What compensation are Undavalli farmers being offered, and what is YSRCP's objection?
According to YSRCP, farmers are being offered approximately ₹2.60 crore per acre, while nearby land was reportedly purchased by TDP leaders and their associates for around ₹8 crore per acre. The party has demanded that all acquisition be halted until the High Court delivers its final verdict.
