The Telangana State government is facing a growing wave of complaints regarding land holdings, a situation that has persisted since the launch of the Dharani portal. This ambitious initiative, hailed as a one-stop solution for land-related issues, has instead generated a significant amount of dissatisfaction among farmers.
To address this crisis, the Congress government, after assuming power, established a committee of land law experts to examine the flaws in Dharani’s operation and recommend solutions. This committee, chaired by senior Congress leader M. Kodanda Reddy, concluded that a complete overhaul was necessary. They have recommended the complete replacement of Dharani with a new portal, aptly named Bhumatha, and the enactment of a new Record of Rights (RoR) Act.
The committee’s report highlights the multitude of problems associated with the Dharani portal. Despite the government’s efforts to eliminate bureaucratic discretion and establish a system-based approach, farmers are facing a complex web of issues. Common problems include farmers possessing land without a valid patta (registered document), owning a patta without land or having their names missing from official records. There are even instances where entire survey numbers are missing, creating chaos in land management.
The committee attributes these issues to the absence of a robust grievance redressal mechanism and a lack of transparency within the existing RoR Act. Farmers were forced to pay fees for seeking solutions to their problems, creating an additional financial burden. The absence of a village-level grievance system further exacerbated the situation, forcing farmers to escalate their issues to higher authorities, like District Collectors and the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration.
The committee believes that the previous RoR Act, enacted in 2020, has failed to protect farmers’ rights and has contributed to the current land record crisis. They have proposed a new Act, emphasizing a robust grievance redressal system and the establishment of a Land Governance Innovations and Legal Support Cell to facilitate land governance reforms.
The committee also suggests a pragmatic approach to address the backlog of grievances. They advocate for a hybrid system, allowing for the submission of manual applications alongside online options, while also rationalizing or exempting application fees. In a unique recommendation, they propose utilizing the services of village youth for physical verification of lands and records, acknowledging the crucial role of local knowledge in resolving land disputes.
Recognizing the lack of village-level revenue administration, the committee emphasizes the need to appoint dedicated personnel at the village level to manage land records and resolve disputes.
The Telangana government is now faced with a significant challenge – implementing these recommendations to ensure a fair and efficient land management system. The success of this initiative will depend on the government’s ability to address the root causes of the land record crisis, ensuring that farmers’ rights are protected and that the landholding process is transparent and accessible.
