JEYPORE: Distribution of fake land records among the landless poor under a Government scheme has come to the fore in Jeypore tehsil.It is alleged that the fake land records were distributed among 180 landless villagers of Mukhukudupi village under Dangachinchi panchayat by revenue officials and 2 cent land each was given to them by former minister Rabi Narayan Nanda in 2011.
But, details of land distribution were not listed in the records of tehsil office. The villagers learnt about the fraud when they tried to avail bank loans and caste certificates on the basis of land records. Both, Jeypore tehsil office as well as banks, denied them loans and certificates by terming the land records as bogus.The villagers, who went to meet Nanda at Jeypore about a fortnight back, were diverted to the tehsil office. The irate villagers under the banner of local tribal welfare organisations are demanding issue of original land records.
The organisations are demanding justice at the earliest or Vigilance inquiry into the case.
Meanwhile, a Jeypore tehsil official clarified that the land records were given to beneficiaries but it was not recorded in official documents by the then revenue officials leading to the trouble for villagers.