Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today finalized the blue print of total transformation of Revenue Department by eliminating redundant procedures and controls thereby empowering the common citizens to get the citizen services as a matter of right.
The Deputy Chief Minister accompanied by Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue Minister, Punjab gave the final touches to the blue print after extensive brain storming session with all Commissioners of the pisions and Deputy Commissioners of the districts, who gave their forthright suggestions on practical difficulties being faced by citizens in getting their revenue transaction completed and also suggested different steps. Mr. Badal said that during last five years, he has focused on improving the connectivity of Revenue Department, Digitalizing all land records, putting land records on the web that has taken care of 50% of problems at grass root level. He said that now his focus was improving the system and minimizing the government control and discretion of the Revenue Authorities in transactions. Mr. Badal said that Punjab being the agrarian state, Revenue Department was the backbone of economy and his focus was on automation of systems. Mr. Badal said that most of the litigations in the Revenue Department were due to delay in mutations, Girdawaris and partition of land holding. Mr. Badal said that new computerized system approved in the blueprint would automate the mutation of the property immediately on Registration of Property. He asked Deputy Commissioners to hold fortnightly camps in the districts to put the partition cases on fast track.
Setting up of three members committed to suggest timeline and path for elimination of Girdawari, suggesting system reforms at the grass root level and working out a non government corporate system for revenue transactions, Mr. Badal said that his Government was fully committed to eliminate corruption from Revenue Department and sought weekly secret reports on the conduct of Revenue Officers from Deputy Commissioners. He asked the Deputy Commissioners to minimum make 20 calls to those parties, whose land has been registered that day in the district to get a unbiased feedback regarding problems being faced by them in getting transaction completed.
Exhorting Deputy Commissioners to become agents of change, Mr. Badal said that Deputy Commissioner being an executive head of districts has to be responsible for ensuring transparency and timely delivery of all services from all Public Dealing Seats. He said that DCs should conduct surprise checks in all such departments and submit weekly report to Deputy Chief Minister Office. He said that he would personally monitor the delay and pendency in the cases of mutation, partition and was seeking independent feedback from different agencies regarding problems being faced by people in the different districts and any dereliction in ensuring transparent working atmosphere would reflect in the annual confidential report of each DC. He said that it was imperative for DCs to extensively tour rural areas to tackle the problems being faced by the general masses. Seeking suggestions from Deputy Commissioners for doing away archaic systems, Mr. Badal said that every Deputy Commissioner would submit minimum 10 suggestions to improve the systems at grass root level within a week.
Stressing upon strengthening of feedback system, Mr. Badal said that DCs would coordinate with all state departments and execution agencies in the districts to complete the ongoing development projects within timeline. He asked Deputy Commissioners to submit reports being sought by every department within stipulated time.
Asking the revenue department a toll free number to get register complaints of the people, Mr.Badal said that he would be personally monitoring this complain center. Addressing the Deputy Commissioners, Mr. Majithia said that he has already started the cleansing process of Revenue Department in which four corrupt and inefficient Revenue Officials have been dismissed and 10 have been suspended from the service. Mr. Majithia announced extension of Registration of Property on Power of Attorney till May 31st. Besides Commisioners of the pisions and all Deputy Commissioners, Mr. N.S Kang, Financial Commissioner Revenue and Secretaries of all concerned departments participated in the meeting.