Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed the officers of Revenue department to launch a special campaign with a view to effect the partition of joint land holdings in Punjab, which have not been partitioned formally since consolidation of lands in mid sixties.
Presiding over a high level meeting of senior officers to review the functioning of revenue department held here at Chief Minister’s residence, Mr. Badal observed that a large number of disputes in villages were arising due to non-partition of joint land holdings.
The Chief Minister further directed the revenue department right from Patwari to Financial Commissioner Revenue to gear up for launching a vigorous campaign for partition of joint properties both as a measure of amicable settlement amongst the members of the joint holdings as well as through legal procedure where family members could not amicably resolve the disputes of partition. He gave a target that atleast 50% of the joint land holdings be partitioned within a period of one year.
Mr. Badal also asked the department to ensure that routine cases of mutation henceforth, except contested ones to be disposed off within 15 days from the date of registration of sale deed.
Taking part in the deliberations, the Revenue & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia apprised the Chief Minister that the department had already prepared a comprehensive road map to bring path-breaking reforms to generate more sources for additional revenue generation. He also informed Mr. Badal that under the computerization program the land record of the eight districts had been posted on the web site, whereas the record of remaining districts would be uploaded and made available on line to the general public by the June end 2012. Of total 22 district administrative complexes, 10 had been constructed and the remaining 12 would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 172 crore. Prudent decisions and reforms had resulted in the collection of Rs.2900 crore on account of registry fee during 2011-12 which was likely to go up in the current fiscal.
The Chief Minister also asked the revenue officials especially the Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars and Patwaris to be vigilant to safeguard the property rights of NRIs mainly from the mal practices of impersonation as NRIs by the unscrupulous persons. He emphasized the need to punish the corrupt officials and reward the competent and honest ones to bring far more transparency and efficiency in the day-to-day functioning of the revenue department. He also asked the Deputy Commissioners to regularly visit the Fard Kendras under their jurisdiction to ensure their proper functioning to ensure their efficiency and result-oriented functioning.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Revenue & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr. NS Kang, Secretary Revenue Mr. BS Sudan, Special Secretary Revenue Mr. RK Kushik and Special Principal Secretaries to the Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar & Mr. KS Pannu besides OSD to Chief Minister Mr. Sukhjit Pal Singh.