Chief Minister Revanth Reddy Raises Concerns Over Dharani Portal's Data Breach, Promises New Land Records Act

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed deep concern over the breach of sensitive land records through the Dharani portal, a platform introduced by the previous government. He revealed that the highly confidential land-related information of Telangana's farmers, including Aadhaar cards, bank account details, and phone numbers, had been exposed to foreign entities, potentially reaching criminal organizations involved in financial crimes.

Speaking in the legislative assembly during a discussion on the Telangana Bhoobharthi (Land Rights) Act, 2024, the Chief Minister detailed the problems created by the Dharani portal. He emphasized that despite the portal’s intent to safeguard land records, it had inadvertently allowed critical data to cross national borders, potentially endangering the privacy of Telangana's farmers.

“The information collected from transactions since 2020, including Aadhaar numbers, bank accounts, and phone numbers, has been compromised. This breach has led to personal data falling into the hands of entities in foreign countries, including those involved in economic crimes," the Chief Minister said, highlighting the grave implications of the situation.

The Telangana Bhoobharthi Act, passed in 2024, aims to provide secure and reliable land records, covering 1.52 million acres across the state. It aims to not only preserve land ownership details but also protect the rights of landowners. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy assured the assembly that the new law would strengthen the land records system and restore public trust.

The Chief Minister further criticized the previous government's handling of the Dharani portal, which saw critical data being outsourced to foreign companies, including those based in tax haven countries like the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands. He revealed that the portal's management shifted from one company to another, with foreign entities, such as Falcon SG (Philippines) and Falcon Investments, gaining access to Telangana’s land data.

The government also discovered that private companies had changed land ownership details, including government, temple, and private land records, without proper authorization. This unauthorized transfer of sensitive data, including the manipulation of records, has raised serious concerns about the integrity and safety of the information.

After taking office, the government scrutinized the issue and found that agreements between the previous government and foreign companies had violated regulations, allowing sensitive data to be accessed by foreign players. The Chief Minister emphasized that these breaches were severe, as companies like Falcon Investments, which had access to the Dharani portal, were not only uncooperative but also obstructed the transfer of records to the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

“We decided to move the management of the Dharani portal to NIC to ensure secure and confidential handling of land records. However, we faced resistance from these private entities, which had illegally held on to the data,” Revanth Reddy stated.

Despite the setbacks, the Telangana government has introduced the Bhoobharthi Act to rectify the problems caused by the Dharani portal and to ensure that land records are secure and protected under state supervision. The Chief Minister also noted that while the process was delayed due to careful consideration, the government’s efforts to rectify these issues would ultimately benefit the people of Telangana.

The Chief Minister concluded by stressing that the new legislation, Bhoobharthi Act 2024, would be a step toward transparency and trust, aiming to bring relief to the people who have suffered due to the mismanagement of land records. He assured the people that his government would continue to work towards safeguarding their rights and interests, taking all necessary steps to ensure that the trust placed in the government is never broken again.