Hyderabad: State government rolls out guidelines to fix Dharani glitches; Drive from today

Hyderabad : THE government on Thursday issued guidelines and instructed officials of the Revenue Department to resolve all Dharani related issues. Officials have been directed to take up a ‘special drive’ for clearing all pending applications beginning from March 1 to 9. It is said that around 2.45 lakh applications would be cleared by March 9.

Through a circular, the government instructed the district collectors to form two to three teams in every Tahsildar office. These teams have to be headed by the Tahsildar, Deputy Tahsildar, or Revenue Inspector to scrutinise the pending applications, undertake field inspections, and prepare reports. The teams will consist of revenue functionaries available in the Tahsildar office, paralegals and community surveyors working in DRDAs, agriculture extension officers, and panchayat secretaries.

Applicants to get regular updates

The Collectors were also instructed to ensure the ‘team leads’ share relevant information with applicants through village-level officers and/or WhatsApp, phone, or SMS. The officials will also verify land records, including Setwar, Khasra Pahani, old pahanies, the 1B register, and Dharani. They will also be verifying assignment, Inam, or PoT registers, Bhoodhan, Wakf, or endowment land details in the required cases.

Officials to take up field visit

The officials will also be visiting the field to physically verify the land and conduct local inquiries. Based on the verification of applications, land records, and field inquiries in the needed cases, teams will prepare a report on each application. As per the instructions, CCLA will be monitoring the district-wise progress with Collectors.

In a media statement, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy informed that there were 2.45 lakh applications that remained pending. While urging the people to avail themselves of the provision during these nine days beginning on March 1, the Minister put the onus on the people’s hardships over the introduction of the Dharani portal in the State.

“The Dharani has caused immense hardship to people, and it was brought into force with evil intentions. Scores of farmer families were affected, and lakhs of acres vanished following its implementation,” he alleged.

While reiterating that a ‘white paper’ will be shortly released on Dharani, the Minister said that the scheme will be completely revamped. It is believed that by the time the Collectors and CCLA clear the pending applications by March 9, the Revenue Minister with the help of a committee on Dharani and revenue officials, will be coming up with a ‘White Paper’.

The chairman of the Dharani panel, M Kodanda Reddy, clarified that the ‘White Paper’ is likely to be presented after the completion of this drive. “After all these are cleared, it will be released. It could be over a week,” he told The Hans India.