| Funds paucity, heavy workload blamed for Revenue Deptt's fall | | | S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Oct 1: Non-availability of funds, dilapidated infrastructure and heavy workload are being blamed for the dismal performance of Revenue department in J&K.
Reliable sources in the department told Early Times that most of the revenue work is practical in nature, and practice comes with experience, which is not possible in the short span of time, keeping in view the multi faceted role a revenue official has to perform.
For example, sources said, a Tehsildar is not only Assistant Collector of 1st class, he or she is at the same time Executive Magistrate 1st class, Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, Assistant Custodian, Rationing authority etc.
At times the Tehsildar even holds the charge of lower rung judicial courts for routine work, said sources.
Sources said that besides all this the concerned officer supervises and coordinates the activities of different departments in his jurisdiction. Whether it is maintaining law and order situations or any disaster, the Revenue department remains on toes. The maintenance and updating of revenue record is the basic duty of Revenue department and only experienced officers can supervise this most important work in an error-free manner, said sources.
Sources further said that since 2011 this basic work of Revenue department suffered a lot due to inexperienced and junior KAS officers who are being sent to Revenue department "like tourists for two years." "However this practice has badly damaged the supervision, updating of revenue records and dispensation of quick justice also due to practical knowledge being lacked by the majority of KAS Tehsildars," said sources. Meanwhile, a senior officer in the department concerned told ET that irony is that revenue officers are not able to retrieve maximum encroached land (Kacharia, common land or state land) due to lack of men and machinery.
"Moreover, the lack of support and colonial mindset shown by higher officers has drastically brought the morale of rank and file of Revenue department to the lowest ebb", said the official. |
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