HYDERABAD: At last the cat is out of the bag! Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced that, if necessary, the government would abolish Village Revenue Officer (VRO) system as part of the proposed new Revenue Act.
The Chief Minister said that “The Patels and Patwaris have gone as they were seen as symbols of repression and replaced with the VRO system. If the VROs are found to be worse than the Patel and Patwari system, then they too will have to go, ’’ he said.
Stating the new Revenue Bill would be introduced in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said a 2-day special session would be held. “Our aim is to root out corruption completely and ensure mutation of land records within hours of the land sale,” Rao said.
Taking a tough stand on the government’s determination to root out corruption in the revenue department, he made it clear to the department officials that if they indulge in protests or strikes, it would only result in a loss to them. “We are not scared of government employees. No government would function for the sake of only employees,’’ the Chief Minister said.
He said that the government employees should not dictate terms to the government. “The dog should wag the tail. The tail should not wag the dog,” Rao told the government employees. On the proposed new Revenue Act, Rao said rest of the country will look at it in wonder and surprise. It will be the best Act for revenue administration, he added.
“There will be no room for corruption. The entire country will copy that Act,” he said. On Congress’ demand to give Rythu Bandhu amounts to tenant farmers, Rao said there were no landlords in the State. Eight per cent of the landholdings were in the hands of SC, ST, BC and other downtrodden sections.
Cong MLAs’ merger with TRS as per law: KCR
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao told CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka not to cast aspersions on the chair over the merger of Congress MLAs with the TRS. Responding to Congress’ allegations in the Assembly, Rao said: “I want to clarify that the Congress MLAs merged with the TRS as per the Constitution.” . Reacting to this, Bhatti alleged that they submitted petitions to the Speaker but he did not take action against them and waited till the two-thirds of Congress members switched sides. Rao asked Bhatti not to cast aspersions on the Chair. The Speaker will have discretionary powers, he said and requested the Speaker to remove the objectionable words of Bhatti from the records. Recalling the recent mergers in Rajasthan and Goa and in the Rajya Sabha, Rao said “There will be no separate rules for others and for us.”