Minister vows relief from Dharani portal troubles, promises fair land security and patta distribution
Nirmal: Revenue and housing minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy on Friday said that while farmers had sleepless nights due to the Dharani portal, the new Bhu Bharati Act and portal would provide much-needed relief and ensure security of their land holdings. He accused the previous BRS government of introducing Dharani to benefit its own people, which he said led to their defeat in the last Assembly elections.
Hoping the Bhu Bharati Act, 2025, would become a model revenue law across India, Srinivas Reddy urged officials to implement the law in a people-friendly manner to ensure landowners receive full benefits. He explained that surveyors would inspect applicants' land, issue pattas along with land maps and upload the details on Bhu Bharati when requested by farmers.
The minister made these remarks at the Bhu Bharati Avagahana Sadassulu meetings held at Kuntala and Penchikalpet mandal headquarters, which were selected as pilot mandals in Nirmal and Komaram Bheem districts. He announced that tribunals and other appellate authorities would be established to resolve grievances under the Bhu Bharati Act. He said all land-related issues raised during the meetings in the four pilot mandals would be addressed. The Congress government, he added, is also committed to resolving all 9.26 lakh pending Dharani applications and will do justice to landowners.
Reddy said pattas would be issued to farmers cultivating revenue lands on June 2, the state’s formation day. He also announced that the second phase of Revenue Sadassulu, covering all remaining districts, would commence on the same day. Criticising the Dharani portal, he said many farmers were traumatised when their names disappeared overnight, forcing them to make repeated visits to tahsildar offices. He assured that action would be taken against officials found guilty of negligence and a toll-free number would be launched for public complaints.
The minister also announced the reinstatement of Village Revenue Assistants (VRAs) and Village Revenue Officers (VROs) as village administrators in 10,956 revenue villages from June 2. Regarding rehabilitation, Reddy promised that oustees of the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP) in Mudhole constituency would receive a fair Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) package, but said it would take time due to the state's current financial constraints.
Adivasi oustees of the Kawal Tiger Reserve met Reddy and thanked him and Nirmal collector Abhilasha Abhinav for issuing patta lands and facilitating their relocation to a new colony at Maddipadaga in Kadam mandal. As a gesture of thanks, they presented the minister with a pot filled with seeds, inscribed with the words "Rythe Raju."
Rural development minister Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) said people share a deep emotional bond with land. She alleged that feudal landlords had used Dharani to grab encroached lands and added that particularly vulnerable tribal groups would receive Indiramma houses, with the second phase of selection to begin between October and November.
Principal secretary of revenue Naveen Mittal stated that the state government is confident in resolving land-related issues and has deployed staff to villages for this purpose. Khanapur MLA Vedma Bojju alleged that landlords Ravinder Rao and the late Kadam Narayana Reddy had encroached on Adivasi lands and obtained pattas. He also accused forest officials of harassing Adivasi, BC and Dalit communities cultivating their own land.
Nirmal collector Abhilasha Abhinav said feedback from farmers on the Bhu Bharati initiative had been overwhelmingly positive. Several senior Congress leaders, including MLA Rama Rao, S. Venugopala Chary, Srihari Rao, former MLA Vittal Reddy and Palvai Harish Babu were present at the events.
