The Hindu Business Line : AP: CM says not satisfied with Bhu Bharati programme

The Chief Minister, Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, at the international symposium on ‘Contemporary trends in cadastral surveys and land titling’ in Hyderabad on Monday. (From left) Mr Vinod K. Agarwal, Commissioner of Survey Settlements and Land Records; Ms Rita Sinha, Secretary, Land Resources, Government of India; and Mr D. Prasada Rao, Minister for Revenue, are also seen.

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Hyderabad, April 28 The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has expressed displeasure over the implementation of the Bhu Bharati programme in Nizamabad district.

The Bhu Bharati programme, started by the Government as a pilot project in Nizamabad, is aimed at accurate and fast re-survey of land records using modern technology and achieving guaranteed land titling.

“I am not at all satisfied with the speed at which the project is being undertaken. The relevant laws are not yet framed and after three years of implementation of the project the draft legislation is just ready,” Mr Reddy said after inaugurating an international symposium on ‘Contemporary trends in cadastral surveys and land titling’ here on Monday.

According to him, even after three years of struggle only 50 per cent of the survey has been completed covering 500 villages in the district. He added that only Rs 13 crore was spent on the project and even the money that was sanctioned has not been utilised as the progress has not been good.

He also said that the Government was planning to send a few Legislators and officials to Australia to study the methodology being adopted there as it is much better in a couple of foreign countries than what is being adopted in India.

“Even the idea of extending the Bhu Bharati programme to five more districts — Kadapa, Karimnagar, Anantapur, Nellore and Srikakulam — in the current year, has been bogged down by some High Court litigation on the tendering process,” Mr Reddy said.

The State, he said, is also looking at using its good offices to part-fund the Bhu Bharati to other parts of the State as the total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 1,500 crore.

The State Government in association with the Union Government is organising the two-day symposium in which more that 100 delegates, including participants from abroad, are attending.

“Currently, there are a number of departments dealing with land issues like the land survey department, registration department and a department for the collection of revenues and ultimately a department to give sanctions to the needful for the development of the land. This, in many instances, is leading to litigations as there is no proper coordination between the departments,” he said.

According to Mr Vinod Agarwal, Commissioner Survey and Settlement, the Bhu Bharati project in Nizamabad district is likely to be completed in the next four to five months.

Earlier, Ms Rita Sinha, Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Government of India, said that around 1 per cent of the GDP is getting blocked because of lack of proper titles to lands.

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