Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: Strange but true that an amount of Rs 15.42 crore provided by the Central Government for computerization of land record to the State is lying unspent for the last over six years.
These revelations were made by the Minister in-charge Revenue in the Upper House of the Legislature in a written reply to the question of National Conference legislator Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri. The member had asked how much money was released by the Government of India for the computerization of land record in the State and what was the district wise achievement since 2006-2007.
Minister incharge Revenue Aijaz Ahmed Khan disclosed that during 2006-07, an amount of Rs 15.42 crore was released for 257 Niabats at the rate of Rs 6 lakh per Niabat by the Government of India under Computerization of Land Records (CLR). The Minister informed that House that these funds could not be utilized for want of required infrastructure such as computer Labs and accommodation because many `Niabats’ having been located in private buildings. He however, claimed that Rs 5.89 crore has been released now during this financial year for survey/ re-survey, registration and preparing modern record rooms in seven districts including Udhampur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Jammu, Kulgam, Reasi and Kupwara.
In response to another question, Mr Khan disclosed that programme for computerization of land records was started in 2006-07 by the Departmewnt of Land Records Government of India (Ministry of Rural Development), as Centrally sponsored scheme. However, during 2008-09, the Ministry merged all the programmes and launched a modified programme namely National Land Modernization Programme (NLRMP).
Mr Khan claimed that in first phase the Central Government sanctioned seven districts under the programme in 2011-12 in the State. The construction of buildings for 15 modern record rooms at Tehsil level were taken up out of State annual plan in last two years, out of which 11 were completed and work in four is in progress. Besides, this complete computerized integrated record of rights were prepared for 743 villages and 278 Revenue functionaries including Partwaris and Girdawars were trained for updating the land records.
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