Revanth said that the BRS government’s implementation of the Dharani portal, which was introduced by altering revenue laws, had been marred by discrepancies and inefficiencies
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said that the state government would carry out a comprehensive land survey across Telangana to accurately identify property boundaries. Bhudhar cards will be issued to landowners, detailing the survey numbers and ownership information of each land parcel, making Telangana a ‘land dispute-free’ state.
Formally launching the Bhu Bharati Act and Bhu Bharati portal on Monday, replacing the controversial Dharani portal introduced by the previous BRS government, Revanth Reddy said that the struggles in Telangana had always been deeply connected to land ownership, citing historical movements such as Komuram Bheem’s ‘Jal Jangal Jameen’ struggle and the Armed Peasants struggle.
He recalled the Congress' promise during the Assembly elections to throw the "corruption-ridden" Dharani portal into Bay of Bengal, if it is voted to power — a promise the Congress government has now fulfilled with the launch of Bhu Bharati.
The Chief Minister said that the BRS government’s implementation of the Dharani portal, which was introduced by altering revenue laws, had been marred by discrepancies and inefficiencies. In several instances, landowners were left frustrated, even leading to violence, including a protest where an MRO was set on fire.
He criticised the BRS government's handling of the issue, accusing them of using the portal to facilitate land grab and exploitation, while creating a hostile environment for revenue officials by projecting them as 'looters and exploiters' before the people.
"Thousands of acres were looted by changing revenue laws to benefit the powerful under the guise of Dharani," Revanth Reddy said, adding that the Congress government was committed to ensuring that land reforms truly benefit the poor. The Bhu Bharati portal is designed to offer a permanent solution to these issues, with a pilot project set to be launched in four mandals before expanding statewide.
The Chief Minister made it clear that the government would not tolerate corruption but emphasised that the responsibility for implementing the new law rests with the revenue officials, who would be closer to the people under this new system. He assured that the government would not allow any official to be blamed unfairly, as had been done by previous BRS rulers.
The government plans to introduce Bhudhar for land, similar to the Aadhaar number for individuals, which will help create a more accurate and dispute-free land registry. Surveys to measure agricultural land and establish precise boundaries are set to be conducted, starting with the pilot regions, he said.
