In a significant move to address public grievances, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has issued strict directives for the expedited and systematic disposal of thousands of pending land and revenue-related cases across the hill state. The orders were issued during a high-level review meeting on revenue matters held in Shimla on Friday.
New Weekly Hearing Schedule for Faster Justice
The Chief Minister announced a structured calendar for hearing land partition, or 'taksim', cases. Starting January 5, all tehsildars and naib tehsildars in the state will dedicate three days every week—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday—exclusively to these cases. This ensures a minimum of 12 hearing days each month, aiming to clear the backlog efficiently.
To maintain momentum and accountability, a rigorous multi-tier review mechanism has been put in place. Deputy Commissioners (DCs) have been instructed to personally review the progress of these cases every Saturday and submit their reports to the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) on the same day. A consolidated state-wide report will then be presented before the Revenue Minister every Monday.
Push for Transparency and Clear Deadlines
Emphasising transparency in governance, CM Sukhu directed the revenue department to compile comprehensive data detailing all categories of land in Himachal Pradesh. This includes private, forest, and government land. Furthermore, he sought detailed information on all cases pending in various revenue courts, categorised by their nature and the duration for which they have been unresolved.
Setting a firm deadline, Sukhu ordered that all correction-related revenue cases must be cleared by March 31, 2024. To bolster the workforce and leverage experience, the government has decided to re-engage retired revenue officials, including patwaris, kanungos, naib tehsildars, and tehsildars, on a contractual basis to speed up the process. The Chief Minister also stressed the importance of providing proper training to the concerned officers and staff to ensure effective implementation.
Building on Past Success
The push for faster disposal builds on the success of recent initiatives. It was revealed in the meeting that since October 2023, revenue lok adalats have successfully resolved over 5 lakh cases across Himachal. These included complex matters related to mutations, land partitions, demarcations, and corrections, providing substantial relief to citizens.
The high-level meeting was attended by Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, senior officers of the revenue department, and all Deputy Commissioners who joined the proceedings virtually. The Chief Minister reiterated his government's unwavering commitment to resolving long-standing revenue disputes, which are a major source of public inconvenience and litigation in the state.
