In a significant push to overhaul land administration, the Bihar Revenue and Land Reforms Department held high-level review meetings in Buxar and Ara on Saturday. The sessions, chaired by Principal Secretary C K Anil, laid down a series of strict deadlines and transparency measures for officials across the district.
Key Directives for Transparency and Efficiency
Principal Secretary C K Anil instructed all officials to ensure that work at every level is speedy, transparent, and of high quality. A comprehensive review covered critical areas including mutation, correction of land records, Aadhaar seeding, land revenue, and public grievance redressal. A major focus was placed on the ongoing revenue mega campaign.
To enforce accountability, all circle officers have been ordered to maintain daily diaries for revenue employees and surveyors, with regular reviews of their work. In a move towards greater accessibility, official email IDs must be created for all revenue staff and made publicly available. The principal secretary made it unequivocally clear that any form of discrimination or selective decision-making would not be tolerated. Officials were warned that differing decisions in similar cases must be backed by written justifications.
Strict Deadlines for Land Bank, Aadhaar Seeding, and Digitisation
The department has set concrete timelines for several flagship initiatives. Officials were directed to upload all reports related to the revenue mega campaign within two days and to achieve 100% Aadhaar seeding of land records. A pivotal directive involves the creation of land banks at the circle level, with a completion deadline set for January 15, 2026.
Further orders were issued to accelerate the digitisation of all government land records. Proposals for the cancellation of unauthorised records pertaining to government, Khas Mahal, or other public lands must be sent immediately. The principal secretary also mandated the regular and strict removal of encroachments from government land.
Focus on Landless Families and Faster Disposal
Principal Secretary Anil emphasized that providing possession of government land to eligible landless Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families, as per rules and within a fixed timeframe, will be a primary responsibility of circle officers.
To reduce pendency, officials have been given a strict maximum period of 75 days for the disposal of mutation cases. Furthermore, circle officers must prepare a detailed three-month action plan for their respective circles and submit it to the district magistrate for approval.
Regarding land acquisition, the department directed officials to organize special camps for receiving applications from landowners. The process for prompt payment to verified and eligible beneficiaries must be ensured after due verification. These measures aim to bring greater efficiency and fairness to the state's land governance framework.
