A whopping eight lakh files are pending in the State’s Revenue Department, thanks to frequent holidays and the model code of conduct that was in place for the byelections to the Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha.
This is after the department conducted a ‘File Disposal Week’ from November 12 and cleared nearly 2.56 lakh filessaid Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande here on Friday.
Currently, about 7.97 lakh files related to various issues across the State are pending and efforts would be made to clear them in the next few months, Mr. Deshpande told presspersons. Some of the files have been awaiting clearance for several years owing to legal disputes, he said.
An increase in the number of holidays and grievances from the public, and pending disputes in courts were the major factors for the increased number of files pending, he said.
Cabinet sub-committees
To reach out to people, the department, which is considered as the ‘mother department’ in the government, has decided to set up four Cabinet sub-committees — one for each Revenue division. The district in-charge Ministers, and other Ministers in the districts coming under each division would be members of the respective sub-committees. A senior officer of the rank of Secretary/Principal Secretary would work as the coordinating officer in the sub-committees, the Minister said.
Divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and other officials in the division would discharge functions as per the guidance of the committees, Mr. Deshpande said.
He said under section 94A (4) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, the State government has given one more opportunity to those who have been illegally cultivating crops on government land. Eligible persons can now apply in Form 57 with a fee of ₹100 and the last date for submitting applications is March 16, 2019. Those who have already submitted their applications (in Form 50 and Form 53) need not apply again; same would apply to the rejected cases too, the Minister said.
A software would be developed to scan and collect all land-related forms, he said.
Dry spell hits rabi sowing
Severe drought has affected rabi cultivation in 100 taluks of the State and sowing has been completed in only 60% (20 lakh hectares) of the targeted area of 31.8 lakh hectares as on November 19, according to Mr. Deshpande.
The normal coverage during this period is 26.19 lakh hectares.
After heavy rain damaged crops during the kharif season, farmers are once again under distress as 40% of the area has not been sown owing to dry spell. “Dry spell in continuing in the State and we are reeling under rain deficiency of -49% this rabi season,” Mr. Deshpande told reporters on Friday.
A sum of ₹220 crore was available with the deputy commissioners to take up drought mitigation works. Drinking water was being supplied through tankers to 197 villages in 13 districts, the Minister said.
The government has issued an order banning transport of fodder to other States, he said.