Tiruppur revenue department bins 32,000 applications, reveals special cell

TIRUPUR: The district administration has formed a special cell to re-examine applications from public that have been rejected by revenue officials. The development comes in the wake of mounting complaints that revenue officials are rejecting applications even for trivial oversight by the applicants.

According to sources, 3, 62,969 applications were received by the revenue department throughout the district between April 2021-September 2022. Of this 3,17,555 applications have been approved. Around 8,458 applications were returned to applicants for update and further changes. Around 4,184 applications are pending. A whopping 32,762 applications were rejected.

Speaking to TNIE, K Palanikumar a social activist said, "A friend of mine received a share in ancestral property in the city. But he had to wait for more than eight months, and after several requests was able to get the patta transferred. The State and central government has simplified the process of applying for community certificates, income certificates and other certificates through e-seva centres. But, getting approval for these certificates is difficult. The applicants have to either go to the Village Administrative Office (VAO) in their region. Many revenue officials demand bribe to issue approvals. Applications of those who don't bribe are either rejected or kept pending."

President of Nallur Consumers Welfare Council Shanmuga Sundaram said, "Most revenue officials demand Transfer Certificate issued by the school for verification and issuing legal heir certificate. But, many elderly persons or women from other districts don't have such ones. So, they reject such applications. Revenue officials should approve and give legal heir certificate, with the verification of birth certificate, Aadhaar card and in-person inquiry in the neighbourhood. I know about dozens of  cases that have been rejected for such reasons."

Among the applicants, migrants who apply for residence certificates suffer the most. A migrant from Madurai said, "I applied for the residence certificate, through e seva centres in Tiruppur city. But, the revenue assistant who worked in the Village Administrative Office  (VAO) never visited my rental house and claimed that he had visited the house, but claimed none was found in my house and rejected it. I applied after three months with an Aadhaar Card, and I got a residence certificate. The VAO assistant can authorise the residence proof after confirming from neighbours. But, they don't take up the procedure."

Speaking to TNIE, an official from Revenue department said, "It is disappointing to note that Tiruppur district is listed as one of the top districts in Tamil Nadu for rejecting applications. We are sorry to say that 32,762 applications were rejected. The rejection ratio is 9.3%. 

We have formed a Quality Assurance Cell comprising senior revenue officials who will check the rejected applications and check the reason for rejection. They will be making random checks on all the rejected applications. If they find that an application has been rejected for trivial reasons, disciplinary action will be taken against local revenue officials - VAO, Revenue Inspector, and other officials."