Andhra Pradesh Government Announces Major Land Administration Reforms
In a significant move aimed at streamlining land administration and empowering landowners, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed substantial reforms during a comprehensive review of the revenue department. The decisions, announced on Wednesday, are poised to impact millions of citizens across the state.
Removal of Land Restrictions Under Section 22-A
The chief minister ordered the immediate removal of 1.37 lakh acres of village service inam lands from the prohibited list as per Section 22-A of the relevant land laws. Additionally, the government is planning to introduce new legislation that will take another 1 lakh acres of service inam lands out of these restrictive provisions. This combined action will free a total of 2.37 lakh acres from bureaucratic constraints, potentially unlocking their economic value.
During the review meeting, Naidu highlighted that an ordinance issued in 2019 concerning service inam lands had not been converted into formal law. He instructed officials to address this gap through appropriate legislative measures to ensure legal clarity and permanence.
Ambitious Timeline for Re-Survey 2.0 and Passbook Distribution
The chief minister has set a firm deadline of March 2027 for the completion of the ambitious Re-Survey 2.0 initiative and the distribution of 1.12 crore Pattadar Passbooks. These passbooks are crucial documents that establish land ownership rights for farmers and other landowners.
Progress reports indicate that surveys have already been completed in 6,976 villages, with 22.79 lakh passbooks distributed across 5,717 villages. In the remaining 1,259 villages, approximately 9 lakh passbooks are scheduled for distribution by July of this year. Officials have been directed to ensure the full completion of both the re-survey and passbook distribution processes by the March 2027 deadline, with a target of distributing 80 lakh passbooks between July and March.
Registration Eligibility for Pre-2016 Government Housing
In another landmark decision, houses allotted under various government housing schemes prior to 2016 will be made eligible for registration. This policy change is expected to benefit approximately 75 lakh families across Andhra Pradesh. Beneficiaries who received pattas (land ownership documents) before 2016 will now be able to register, sell, or transfer their properties, including through gift deeds, providing them with greater financial flexibility and property rights.
Furthermore, out of 13.59 lakh acres of freehold land, ownership rights will be granted to eligible beneficiaries covering 9.25 lakh acres, formalizing land tenure for a substantial portion of state-held land.
Digital Transformation and Security of Land Records
Naidu emphasized the importance of digitizing all revenue records and sharing soft copies with landowners through mobile phones. After completing Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, these records will be secured using advanced blockchain technology to prevent tampering and ensure data integrity.
Landowners will have the ability to lock their records through Aadhaar-based KYC authentication, effectively preventing unauthorized transactions without their explicit consent. This digital initiative aims to reduce corruption, streamline processes, and empower landowners with direct control over their property records.
The high-level meeting was attended by key officials including Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, Chief Secretary G Saiprasad, and CCLA Jayalakshmi, underscoring the importance of these administrative reforms.
