Digitalisation of Land: A long road ahead for State

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the Government is preparing for online mutation (pokkuvaravu) across the state, the officials in the village, taluk and other revenue offices are quite apprehensive about its implementation as there is a dearth of qualified staff who can handle the documents online. Moreover, doubts have also been raised if online mutation would be fool proof.

Now being implemented in Palakkad district, the government says that it is being smoothly implemented in the district and no complaints have been raised till now. However, those who are apprehensive said that though Palakkad is claimed to be a success, the government was yet to prove it. They also pointed out the possibility of technical error when registration of documents are made online.

Stating that there was nothing to worry when online mutation was introduced, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said that the online facility that was introduced in Palakkad district was functioning in a smooth manner. However, he pointed out that once the resurvey was completed, everything would be streamlined. ''Once the online mutation comes into force, there will not be any complaints with regard to land transactions,'' he said.

Once online mutation is completely introduced across the state, the government thinks of monitoring all land transactions and hopes that all suspicious land transactions in sensitive areas could be curbed. A document registered in one place can be checked at any place, which helps in checking bogus transactions.

However, the employees in the revenue department and the document writers forum have raised concern with regard to online mutation. Kerala Document Writers, Scribes and Stamp vendors Welfare Board member Mannoorkonam Sathyan said that there was not enough qualified staff in the revenue offices who can handle the documents online. Once the online mutation comes into effect, there are chances of more delay and extra financial burden on the part of the people, he said. Pointing out that around 50,000 document and scribe writers were in the state, he expressed his fear that the proposed reforms in the registration department will render them jobless and adversely affect their livelihood. However, he said that once all the offices are brought under the system, there would be more transparency.

Transfers in revenue Department: Unions cry foul

The Revenue Department is embroiled in controversy over transfers and promotions with the various Employees' union crying foul over it, alleging it will adversely affect zero landless project and government initiative against encroachments.

The Unions, belonging to the ruling and the opposition, alleged that higher officials, deputy collectors, Tahalsidars and even low ranking employees were transferred flouting all existing norms. They alleged that all the transfers and promotions in the department was only going to sabotage the projects like Zero Landless and also scuttle the government's initiative against encroachers.

Kerala Revenue Department Staff Association (KRDSA) president K Sreekantan Nair alleged that a section of the staff in the Revenue Minister's office was behind the transfers. The transfer of Assistant Commissioners D Sajith Babu and P Suresh Babu and Land Board Assistant Secretary Shibu were done at the behest of some persons who had vested interest, he alleged.

Stating that transfers are normally given for persons who have completed three years in a particular office, Nair said that those who have not completed that much years have also been transferred where as others who have completed more than 5 years and who are close to the Minister's office are still working in the same office.

Agreeing to the same, Kerala Land Revenue Staff Association (KLRSA) secretary M K Krishnan Namboothiri said that there was uncertainty with regard to the transfers and promotions. ''It has come to the notice that junior persons working in some districts have been transferred even when senior hands were eligible for transfers. We are not against giving transfers on compassionate grounds but it has been see that some of the transfers were done without adhering to any norms,'' he said.

Source: The Newindian express

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