what a joke NEWS DETAILS Shortage of Tehsildars, Patwaris hit Revenue Department functioning 10/31/2012 11:51:58 PM Bashir Assad Srinagar, Oct 31: The shortage of Tehsildars and Patwaris in Revenue department is hampering overall functioning of the department causing great inconvenience to the general public. According to unofficial figures about 99 posts of Tehsildars in Agrarian, Settlement, Nazool and Relief Organization are lying vacant while as about 1500 posts of Patwaris are lying vacant in different wings of the Revenue department across the state impeding the overall functioning of the department. In other words there is around 40 percent shortage of Patwaris and Tehsildars in Revenue department which is creating hurdles in timely disposal of revenue/land related issues. The shortage of revenue officials is also impending the computerization of the land records especially Misli Hakeyat and Masavi (cadastral maps) and Shajra. However, officials claim that only 66 posts of Tehsildars were lying vacant which were referred to the appropriate recruiting agencies and the appointments have already been made and all the posts are likely to be filled within next few months. The massive shortage of staff in Revenue department has virtually made the department non-functional as on average one patwari is catering to four Halqas (revenue villages). According to the officials sources, the department faces shortage of around 1500 patwaris which is about 40 percent of the total strength of the patwaris. This biggest ever shortage of the manpower is impeding the smooth functioning of the department and the much hyped Public Service Guarantee Act is being butchered owing to the dearth of the manpower, an official said. The revenue department is also running short of Naib Tehsildars and unofficial figures suggest that about 40-60 posts of Naib Tehsildars are lying vacant across the state, government, however, claims that all the posts of Naib Tehsildars are in tact and there is no shortage of Naib Tehsildars in the state. The shortage is also creating impediments in the implementation of National Land Records Modernization Programme (NLRMP) -a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at digitization/computerization of land records in the state. Despite repeated reminders by the Centre to the state government, the revenue department has failed to make much progress in implementation of the project started five year back in the state. Under the multi crore project, the state revenue department is to computerize all the land records and establish a computer lab with an operator, phone and internet connectivity and other facilities at Niabat level. Sources said that having desperately failed to achieve a major breakthrough in the compilation and computerization of the land records over the years, the Revenue Department has almost shelved the project targeted to be completed in a period of four years. Pertinently, the modernization of land records under the centrally sponsored National Land Records Modernization Programme (NLRMP) was launched in 20 districts of the state in the year 2007 with a target to complete the crucial project by April 2011. "But the department has not been able to complete the computerization of records even in a single district as of now," sources said. However, the government while contesting the reports about the failure of the government in computerizing the land records under NLRMP said that the process of digitization of the land records particularly Misli Hakeyat and Shajra continues with pace in the state and the project is likely to be completed within next five years. "The digitization of the land records continues in full swing in the state, 723 villages have already been uploaded and digitization of the rest 4300 villages is in progress", Commissioner Secretary Revenue, Bashir Ahmad Runyal told Early Times. Runyal said the revenue department has asked the centre for auditing by NIC and the government is waiting for a nod from the centre. Runyal further said that that Revenue Department has developed an indigenous Urdu Software for uploading Misli Hakeyat and Shajra and Masavi. "It was usually taking about 4 hours and 28 minutes to produce a computer generated Shajra, now we can do it in 10 minutes", Runyal said adding that the department has a brilliant official (Naib Tehsildar) namely Ashfaq Ahmad who developed this indigenous Urdu software. He said that the department has requested the central government for third party monitoring of the scheme. About the shortage of Tehsildars and Patwaris, Runyal said the department was facing shortage of 66 Tehsildars not 99 and the posts were referred to the Public Service Commission and the appointments have already been made who will resume their duties within next few months. About the shortage of Patwaris, commissioner secretary revenue said, " the department was facing shortage of about 1400 patwaris for which appointments have been made through Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) and the appointees are under training presently". Runyal said the 1400 patwaris will be available to the department within next 6 months. Admitting that shortage of staff in the department was a major impediment in the completion digitization of land records, Ronyal said that it is creating hurdles in the way of the project. Runyal added that in coming months the scheme will gain momentum with the recruitment of Patwaris and Tehsildars. Pertinently, the digitization of land records was started during the year 2007 - under the centrally sponsored National Land Records Modernization Programme (NLRMP) with April 2011 as the deadline for the completion of the project in 20 districts of the state. "Under Computerization of Land Records (CLR) the revenue department is to computerize all the land records including old and new. The new land records are being computerized but the process for old land records is a tough job and is yet to take off in the state," sources said, adding that at present the department is busy in the digitization of maps and other records.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 03:30:56 +0000
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