With onus on the farmer to prove his holding now… Has TG govt’s plan for land resurvey gone for a toss?
Hyderabad: Although it has been made official that the integrated ‘Bhu Bharati’ portal would replace the erstwhile Dharani portal, give farmers access to all land-related services directly from their homes without having to run around MeeSeva centres or government offices, assign Aadhaar-like tamper-proof Bhudaar numbers to farmers who register on the portal; Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s latest statement that “farmers must produce a map and attach it during registration at the Tahsildar office if they want to sell their land” has set the cat among the pigeons, creating confusion among farmers about whether the state government would ever undertake a state-wide land resurvey. For, at the pilot stage, the onus is on the farmer to prove that he is rightful holder of the land and “a licenced surveyor” holds the key to validating his holding, and there is nothing the farmer can do if the portal lacks information or has manipulated information relating to his holding.
On April 1, the Revenue Minister, while participating in a teleconference from Kerala, stated that the ‘Bhu Bharati’ portal would enable farmers to access all land-related services directly from their homes using smartphones, eliminating the need to visit MeeSeva centres or government offices. He even said that, upon logging in, farmers can instantly view the details of their land holdings.
“If a survey is required, the system automatically displays the applicable fee, and upon payment, the request is forwarded to a licensed surveyor assigned to the respective village. The process has been streamlined to ensure time-bound service delivery. Notices are issued to adjoining landowners within two days of application, and surveys are scheduled and completed within a week using modern rover devices. The data collected is then verified by the Mandal Surveyor and approved by the Tahsildar, after which a Land Parcel Map (LPM) and a unique ‘Bhudhaar’ number are issued to the applicant. The portal also ensures complete transparency by sending SMS alerts to applicants at every stage - from application submission to final approval. Once the survey is completed, a digital survey map is generated and uploaded to the portal, making it easily accessible to landowners,” the Minister said.
The statement further said that “In line with the Bhu Bharati Act, the government has made it mandatory in the five mandals where the new system has been piloted (on April 2) to attach a survey map during the registration of agricultural land. Each survey map will carry a unique identification number, and every land parcel will be assigned a distinct Bhudhaar number, similar to Aadhaar, ensuring accuracy and eliminating duplication.” These statements, apparently procedural, have, however, created confusion among farmers regarding the long-felt need for a state-led land resurvey. The government clearly stated that farmers have to apply for a land survey and obtain the Land Parcel Map (LPM) if they want to sell their land, as they must attach the map. Based on this map, the farmer must then apply for registration and mutation (change of ownership records) through the ‘Bhu Bharati’ portal. Registration will be granted only for the actual extent of land physically existing in the field; it will no longer be possible to argue for registration based solely on land information available within the portal.
After cross-verifying the application against the survey map, the Tahsildar - in conjunction with the Joint Sub-Registrar - will complete the registration and mutation process and issue a ‘Patta Passbook’ (land title deed). Additionally, a ‘Bhu dhaar’ card will be issued; this card contains comprehensive details regarding the landholding. Since the card features a unique identification number, it is tamper-proof and cannot be altered.
