HYDERABAD: The Telangana Bhu Bharati (Record of Rights in Land) Bill, 2024, which was passed by the state Legislative Assembly is being welcomed by various stakeholders including citizens, real estate community, and bureaucrats.
The real estate industry is in fact waiting for legislation to this effect for a long time now, and their voices were finally heard, thanks to the Congress government.
The developers welcomed provisions for creation of the much-needed system for the decentralised settlement of grievances related to entries in Record of Rights. The current system, they say, is heavily centralised and not accessible to landowners, especially farmers in rural areas. They also appreciate the continuation of the earlier procedure for the mutation of records immediately after the registration of documents by tahsildar, in the new bill. Also, the multi-level appeal mechanism including creation of land tribunal proposed in the bill, they say, would reduce long-drawn court litigations in land-related matters in the state.
Speaking on the proposed bill, NAREDCO Telangana Real Estate Developers Association president Vijaya Sai Meka said, “It has been a long-term demand and request of the association. We appreciate and thank the government for coming out with a modified RoR Act with all the provisions for the resolution of existing problems. The provisions for grievance redressal and appeal from the tahsildar and RDO level and to start land tribunals are steps in the right direction. This will solve problems of so many genuine land owners.”
The appellate mechanism provided for in the proposed bill, was also welcomed by Telangana Revenue Employees Services Association (TRESA). TRESA president Vanga Ravinder Reddy said that with the appeal provisions, many of the problems which the land owners are facing can now be solved at the mandal and revenue division levels. He also said the bill will reduce the litigation burden on the judiciary as well.
Telangana Deputy Collectors Association president (DCA) V Lachi Reddy too expressed happiness over the passage of the bill in the Assembly. The bill, he said, would have the effect of decentralising revenue services, bringing it closer to people.
However, a few developers observed that it is high time to start the process of updating village revenue and survey records through village-wise manual re-entry of all details as done under erstwhile RoR acts, as a comprehensive solution for land-related problems in the state.