Ensure effective redress of revenue related public issues: Veeri to field functionaries

Chairs Revenue Conference of Jammu, Samba, Kathua districts

Calls for expediting Jamabandi, disposal of mutation cases

JAMMU, NOVEMBER 16 - Minister for Revenue, Disaster Management, Relief Rehabilitation & Reconstruction and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri today said that Revenue department is a public centric body and there should be an effective public services delivery system for resolving the revenue related issues of people in a time bound manner.

The Minister was speaking during a daylong Revenue Conference of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts being organized by the department, here today.

The conference was attended by Commissioner Secretary Revenue, ShahidInayatullah, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Mandeep Bhandari, Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Regional Director Survey & Land Records Rifat Kohli, ADC’s, SDM’s, Tehsildars, Naib-Tehsildars, Patwaris and Girdawars of Jammu Division.

During the conference, Deputy Commissioners of all three districts gave detailed presentation of revenue related activities being carried out in their respective districts including status of writing of jamabandi, pending mutation cases, eviction of state/kahcharai land, land acquisition, disposal of revenue cases, issuance of certificates, public grievances camps held and other related activities.

On the occasion, concerned officer gave a brief presentation on the activities of Revenue Training Institute Jammu and informed the gathering about the training programmes being provided to the officers and officials of the department. It was informed that the institute is imparting Land Revenue Training to IAS and Junior KAS, Naib Tehsildar (probationers) and settlement assistants etc.

Giving details on the progress made on the project, Modernization of Land Records under DLRMP, project initiated by Government of India, the Regional Director Survey & Land Records Rifat Kohli apprised the Minister of the status of ongoing works in this regard and gave a detailed presentation on the project. It was informed that the work is in progress at different levels for digitization of the land records.

Addressing the revenue officers and the field functionaries, the Minister said that the Revenue department has a close linkage with the public and it is our sole duty to work with responsibility to live up to the expectations of common people. He said that revenue department is the backbone of the government and is playing a key role in the governance process adding that to further strengthen the department, everyone has to perform a multi-dimensional role in bringing vibrancy to it.

The Minister asked the field functionaries to contribute towards the state and its people by performing responsibilities entrusted upon them at different levels. He reiterated the commitment of the Government to ensure transparent, accountable administration in the State.

Stressing on conducting field visits, the Minister said that the girdawari should be done only after inspecting the actual position of the land on the ground. He said that the disposal of pending mutation cases should be expedited and monthly progress report should be submitted to the concerned Deputy Commissioners. He also asked for speeding up the process of writing Jamabandi.

With regard to delay in disposal of revenue cases, the Minister asked the officers to clear the backlog and try to dispose off all the cases with focused attention. It was decided in the conference that grievance redress camps would be organized at tehsil level so that the revenue related issues of the people would be resolved.

Laying focus on providing training to the officers/officials working with the department, the Minister asked the concerned officer to come up with a yearly calendar of training related activities at Revenue Training Institute and organize short term special courses for the field functionaries according to the needs of modern techniques in preparation and maintenance of revenue records and also to impart training with the comprehensive knowledge of land revenue and other related laws.

Commissioner Secretary Revenue, ShahidInayatullah, also spoke on the occasion and said that such conferences are being organized in the state for the first time with the initiative of the Minister. He said such conferences would help in coming closer to each other especially with the field functionaries and to come up with an action plan for bringing vibrancy in the functioning of Revenue Department.

On the occasion, Tehsildars, Naib-Tehsildars, Girdawar and Patwari also spoke on the occasion and shared their experiences of working with the department. They also raised various issues confronting them including shortage of man power especially in field, infrastructure including offices and vehicles, special training programmes for employees, service related issues and others.

Responding to the issues, the Minister assured that their genuine issues would be looked into and said that the department will do resource mobilization for meeting upgrading the existing infrastructure in the department.