Telangana: No merger plan, but revenue department’s wings to be clipped

HYDERABAD: Dropping its earlier proposal to merge revenue department with either panchayat raj or irrigation department, the Telangana government has now decided to vest some of the powers and duties of revenue department in other departments.
Official sources said a draft on revenue reforms has been prepared. CM K Chandrasekhar Rao will take a final look on the draft later this week. “If it gets approved, it will be one of the major administrative reforms and shake-ups in bureaucracy in Telangana in last five years,” an official said.

Sources said tehsildars and VROs would be relieved from responsibilities and powers soon.These responsibilities would be given to respective departments. For instance, crop damages due to unseasonal conditions and natural calamities and agriculture-related census would be given to agriculture department.
The major issue of ration cards would be handled by civil supplies department. Livestock census would be given to animal husbandry department which was handled by revenue department. “Reforms are aimed at providing corruption-free, transparent, speedy and hassle-free administration. Withdrawing some of the powers and duties of revenue officials at mandal level and abolishing some age-old Acts are part of reform agenda,” a senior official involved in drafting revenue reforms told TOI.
Not long ago, the CM had made adverse remarks on functioning of revenue officials and rampant corruption in the department, inviting sniggers from officials.
Population census where revenue department has crucial role would be givrn to police department. Implementation of Irrigation Act, cases of breach and disputes would be looked after by irrigation department and record of births and deaths would be managed by the mandal parishad development officer of panchayat raj department.
The revenue department will continue to deal with maintenance of land records, land acquisition, disaster management, protocols, public health, preparation of electoral rolls, protection of government land and general enquiries. “Some duties will be taken off the list. Like implementation of Tenancy Act and inspection of survey numbers,” an official said.