Telangana Govt must drop move to abolish Revenue Department

Bagh Lingampally: National vice president of All India Rythu Sangham Sarampally Malla Reddy advised the Telangana government to drop its plans to abolish the existing revenue department and to merge the department with panchayat raj and agriculture departments. He was speaking at the round table conference on the state revenue system, organized by Telangana VRO VRA Joint Action Committee, here at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram on Sunday.

Speaking at the conference, Malla Reddy condemned the recent statements made by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on his intent to abolish the current revenue system and to merge it with panchayat raj and agriculture department to minimise the corruption prevailing in the Revenue Department. He questioned whether the government has taken any measures to prevent corruption among high-level officials and ministers. He alleged that the government has been trying to blame VROs and VRAs in order to cover up its faults in its land records website portal 'Dharani.'

It's unfair that the government is thinking of abolishing a department, instead of correcting mistakes in the system, he said. He alleged that the government has not been able to utilise the intelligence of IAS officers, as the experienced and efficient IAS officials have been placed in insignificant posts, he said. The abolition of revenue system would be a grave error if committed and that the TRS government would be held responsible for the future consequences, he said.

Leader of Kisan Congress Kodanda Reddy recalled the KCR's declaration that one month's basic salary for all revenue employees for providing new patta pass books to 60 lakh farmers and successful implementation of several government welfare schemes.

How the government can punish those employees who helped it in implementing its policies, he questioned. He also asked as to why the state government did not utilise the central funds allocated by the then prime minister for conducting comprehensive land surveys. He extended his support to the protest by VRO and VRAs to be held on September 18 against the proposal to abolish the system.

The meeting, headed by the association president Upendar Rao, passed a resolution to stage protest before all the offices of tahsildars across the state and to post letters to the KCR against the decision.