CHENNAI: A total of 86,271 people residing in “unobjectionable” poramboke land in Chennai and surrounding districts, municipal corporations, municipalities and district headquarters across the state will be issued pattas, ensuring their ownership of the land, within six months, the Tamil Nadu government said on Monday.
A decision to this effect was approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday. The CM directed the officials to complete the work within six months.
A state-level committee, headed by chief secretary, and multiple district-level committees will monitor the progress of the initiative.
Stalin, in a post on X, said that by approving the issuance of pattas to around 86,000 poor and downtrodden people, the government has resolved a 63-year-old issue. After the DMK government assumed office, so far, 12.29 lakh pattas have been issued, he said.
Revenue Minister K K S S R Ramachandran told reporters at the secretariat, “In Chennai alone, 29,187 people are residing in such places.” Describing the area within a 32-kilometre radius around Chennai as ‘belt area’, the minister said legislation regarding encroachments in this area was enacted more than 60 years ago and until now no action was taken to redress the grievances of these people in getting pattas for the land they have been residing in. Ramachandran said the path-breaking decision would be a boon for the people of Chennai and its surrounding districts.
Besides, the CM also ordered the issuance of pattas to 57,084 people who are living in ‘unobjectionable’ poramboke land in municipal corporations like Madurai and Tirunelveli, municipalities, and district headquarters across the state.
Revenue dept expediting steps to issue pattas for 6L people: Min
The CM directed that apart from these 86,271 people, if there some more applicants for pattas, their petitions too should be considered. The minister also said his department is expediting steps to issue pattas to 6.29 lakh people in the next six months.
When asked about ‘unobjectionable’ poromboke lands, the minister said, “Pattas can be issued to those living in Nansei, Punsei and Natham poromboke (revenue classifications) lands under the possession of the government.
But patta cannot be issued to those living in water course poromboke, meikkaal (grazing) poromboke, mayanam (area marked for cremation), etc., since there is a stay on this by courts.”