Bhubaneswar: Expressing concern over problems faced by land owners due to non-updation of names in record-of-rights (RoRs), Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Revenue, Satyabrata Sahu has asked Collectors to organize special drives to update such RoRs.
The ACS has written a letter to all Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs), Director, Land Records & Survey, and Collectors in this regard.
In Odisha, record-of-rights were prepared and finally published between 1960 and 2013. In many cases, there has been no further revision settlement. In between, more than two generations have passed; so in many cases, these record-of-rights may not reflect the field reality, Sahu said.
The RoRs may contain the names of the predecessors of the present tenants in Column 2 of the record-of-rights. There may be joint holdings in record-of-rights in the name of the tenants who are dead long ago. In some old cases, the tenants have not approached Tahasil for mutation after purchase of land and thus, land records may have not been updated, he said.
In such cases where land records are not updated, the actual tenants are facing problems in availing formal credit from banks, housing loan, benefits from many Government welfare schemes due to requirement of elaborate documentation for not having their names in record-of-rights. They also face difficulties in obtaining various miscellaneous and Caste certificates, ACS Shri Sahu pointed out.
After death of the recorded tenants, the names of their legal heirs/ successor-in-interest can be substituted in column-2 of the record-of-rights on the grounds of inheritance and thus record-of-rights can be updated by concerned Tahasildar, he directed.
ACS Shri Sahu directed that Tahasildar/Additional Tahasildar to dispose of at least 100 partition cases and 100 suo-moto mutation cases per month for updation of RoR so as to reflect the ground reality on land records.
He also instructed for holding virtual hearings through video conferencing to dispose of the cases where the recorded tenants are staying outside.
Funds were also placed with you to purchase computers for functioning of Revenue courts on this score. Despite the issue of such instructions, the matter has not been given due attention by Tahsildars, he stated.
“The matter is being viewed seriously by the Government as absence of up to date land records create problems for the common people,” the ACS warned.
There are 51,727 revenue villages in the State and 2,718 in RI circles. One RI circle, on average, comprises 20-25 villages within its jurisdiction. Hence, the Senior Officer directed that RI is to collect forms/ applications for updation of record of rights by way of partition Under OLR Act, 1960 or by way for correction of record-of-rights for recording the name of present tenants in camp mode.
For this purpose, he shall make a program for each village in such a way that he can hold camp in the concerned villages for at least 3 consecutive days for collecting applications, he suggested. All the RIs asked to give proper prior notice to each village regarding the dates to hold camps.
On the first day of this camp, the RI will hold a meeting and make the people aware regarding the updation of RoR and inform and facilitate them to submit applications/forms.
The RI/ARI shall receive the applications/forms from the people. He will also make enquiry into details as per application in the presence of witnesses, prepare an elaborate enquiry report for each application received in the camp.
His report is to contain the details of geneaology or successor-in-interest of recorded tenants who are dead. Since legal heir certificates are issued on the basis of field enquiry report of RI, further insistence on production of legal heir certificate by RI for determining genealogy shall be obviated, read the letter.
The RIs asked to submit the application forms along with an enquiry report to the Tahasildars at the end of each day for institution of cases. The RI shall saturate all villages within his jurisdiction within three months.
If required, Tahsildar may hold a camp court in the village, posting all cases of the village to that date.
The Revenue ADMs and Sub-Collectors were asked to review the matter on a weekly basis. Tahasildars will take stock of the matter on a daily basis.
