Cryptic terms leading to frauds, corruption in system
*Teams framed to suggest simplest way for clear understanding
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 19: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has started an exercise for demystification of revenue record as the cryptic terms being used by the field functionaries of the Revenue Department at present are leading to frauds and corruption into the system.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that all the record and correspondence in the Executive/Government business is being conducted in English in the whole Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and even the Judiciary business is being conducted in English. Recently, some more languages have been incorporated in the list of official language.
“However, the field functionaries of the Revenue Department are still using the archaic and cryptic terms/numerals in the construction and maintenance of the revenue record thereby restricting the revenue information to a very select persons which leads to monopolizing of the information and consequent misuse much to the disappointment of the hapless citizens”, sources said.
They further said that at present the revenue records are written and maintained in Urdu script with Persian terminology. Moreover, the numbers and quantities of the land in the extracts are mentioned/written in the complex language and not in the normal Indo-Arabic numerals.
“In fact, it doesn’t equip the seeker with useful intelligible information even if he has the textual information right in his hand and is thus clear violation of the spirit of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act”, sources said, adding “the situation has become grim in view of the decrease in the level and reach of the Urdu script”.
They further said, “what to talk of common masses even senior functionaries of the Revenue Department right from Financial Commissioner Revenue to the Tehsildars are unable to understand the cryptic terms as most of the direct recruit officers have very little familiarity either with the Urdu language or complex terms being used in the revenue records by the field functionaries”.
This has also become a big handicap in the disposal of the disputes/court cases by the senior revenue authorities like Financial Commissioner Revenue, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners Revenue and Sub-Divisional Magistrates.
All these aspects came up for discussion in a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta recently and accordingly direction was issued to the Revenue Department to take corrective measures in a time bound manner.
Now, in compliance to the directions of the Chief Secretary, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Commissioner Secretary to the Government, Revenue Department has constituted teams for demystifying of the revenue record and processes thereof.
The teams have been directed to review the precedence in the procedures and reporting by the field officials from Patwari to higher hierarchy, suggest the simply way of the same for clear understanding of the officials and citizens in particular and primarily focus on the process of Mutation, Fard, Nishandehi and other Government to Citizen services. Further, the teams have been told to suggest models and modes of reporting which are of convenience and clarity.
The teams will submit their reports by February 23, 2022 and will attend the meeting scheduled by the Revenue Department on the subject on February 24, 2022 in the office of the Financial Commissioner Revenue.
“The problem of cryptic terms is that even Urdu knowing persons find it difficult to understand the same and this has become a major concern for the Government”, sources said, adding “the Government intends to complete the demystification of revenue record exercise as early as possible especially in the light of the fact that Land Passbooks are being issued in English, Urdu and Hindu languages”.
“This step would go a long way in bringing transparency and efficiency in the system and reduce the chances of fraud and corruption”, sources said, adding “there is also need to write the quantities and numerals in the Revenue Registers in Indo Arabic numerals which everybody can read and understand as the Urdu numerals are neither readable nor intelligible for common masses”.
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