Thwarting land settlement

Unidentified forces are at work to foil the effort of the Government to bring about updated land settlement operation and modernization of land records. The system prevailing at present of maintaining land record is at least 125 years old. In comparison to modern methods, it is primitive system and needs to be radically modernized. The Government became conscious of the fact when it found that land mafia had dug its tentacles deep in civil society and administration. Thousands of kanals of forest land or state land (khasra sarkar) was illegally and clandestinely grabbed by land mafia people and they had even succeeded in distorting and changing the land record of the Revenue Department. Whenever there was a land dispute, the chilling truth came to fore that the revenue records have been tampered with. Miscreants are clever enough to ensure that nobody can be held responsible for such deeds. The Government has been trying for several years to bring about drastic change in the land record system and entries in khasra girdawari during two inspections in the year, but to no avail.
In August 2013, State Government gave nod to the reorganization of the Settlement Organization. By way of this decision of the State Cabinet, seven posts of Regional Directors of Land Records and Surveys were created with the sole objective of giving necessary impetus to the settlement exercise across the State. Government’s non seriousness about modernization of land record system is to the extent that Regional Directors of Land Records and Surveys are being transferred very frequently thereby rendering these posts defunct. At present majority of posts of Regional Directors have been lying vacant. Same is the case with land record modernization system for which Union Government is extending financial help to the States under its National Land Records Modernization Programme (NLRMP).
Under these circumstances, we find that there is hardly any chance for the land record system in our State either to improve or to become modernized. The State Government has to take up the matter very seriously. It must identify the elements that are working against the interests of the State and the people and should curtail their power and influence.