An Open Letter to Patwaries

By: Mohd Amin Mir

Dear Fellow Patwaries of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir,

This is not just an open letter. It is an invitation. An invitation to self-reflect. To rise. To reform.

We, the Patwaries of Jammu & Kashmir, occupy one of the most crucial, historic, and sensitive positions in the revenue hierarchy. For centuries, the Patwari has been the bedrock of land administration, the custodian of village records, and the first interface between the state and its citizens in matters of land, crops, inheritance, and ownership.

But somewhere along the road, the glory dimmed. The reverence faded. And suspicion replaced trust.

Today, I write not to accuse but to awaken. Not to shame but to summon the best in us. This is a call to conscience—because the future of our institution depends not just on technology or government policy but on our individual and collective moral resolve.

1. The Salary Is Not Just Payment, It Is Public Trust

The Government of Jammu & Kashmir pays us our monthly salary. It ensures timely disbursement of incentives, allowances, and pensionary benefits. We are paid not out of a business surplus, but from public money—collected from the very people we are supposed to serve. That salary is not a bonus. It is a trust, a moral contract between the state and its officers to deliver service with integrity.

We must ask ourselves:

If our salary is sufficient to live with dignity, why then do some of us still accept bribes, favours, or gifts in return for basic official services?

Isn’t this a betrayal of that public trust?

Let us remind ourselves every morning: “The salary I receive is enough. My dignity lies in honesty. My service must not be for sale.”

1. Europe is Not a Miracle; It Is Just Honesty in Practice

We often admire the work culture of European countries—their efficiency, transparency, and discipline in public administration. Their roads are cleaner, their records are accurate, and their officials don’t ask for or accept bribes. Why?

Because they follow the simple principle that public duty is sacred.

A German land clerk would never imagine taking Rs 500 to sign a record. A British revenue officer would never delay an entry because someone hasn’t “warmed his chair.” Their cultures thrive not because of miracles but because of discipline, honesty, and law enforcement.

If Europe can achieve that, so can we—and it must start from the Patwari Circle.

Let it begin with you. With me. With us.

III. The Patwari is a Custodian, Not a Landlord

Too many of us have started behaving like landowners or unofficial zamindars. We forget that the land we deal with does not belong to us. We are custodians—not controllers—of public records.

We hold in our hands the Jamabandis of generations. We mark crops that determine insurance, compensation, and livelihoods. We verify mutations that affect inheritance. We issue Fards that impact bank loans. A single dishonest pen stroke can ruin a family.
So let me remind you—the Patwari is not just a post. It is a sacred responsibility.

To misuse this office for personal gain is to betray both the people and the law.

1. Let Us Take a Collective Pledge

Today, I urge all my fellow Patwaries across the Union Territory—from Uri to Kathua, from Gurez to Poonch, from Doru to Hiranagar—to take a solemn pledge:

“I will not accept or demand any bribe or gratification for doing my official duties. I will deliver public services honestly, timely, and transparently. I will treat every landowner—rich or poor, influential or voiceless—with equal fairness. I will uphold the dignity of my office and restore the honour of the Revenue Department.”

Let us print this and frame it in every Patwari Khana.

Let our desks carry not just a pen and register but a visible message of integrity.

Let us give the people hope that not all officials are corrupt, and that the Revenue Department can still shine.

1. What Happens When a Patwari Turns Honest?

When a Patwari refuses to take a bribe and works with honesty:

Land records get updated on time.

Mutations are processed without harassment.

Fards are issued without middlemen.

Encroachments are identified and stopped.

Confidence in the government increases.

The poor begin to trust the system.

And most importantly, we sleep with a clean conscience.

Imagine the power of that transformation.

Now multiply that by the number of Patwaries across the UT—over 2,000.

That’s a revolution waiting to happen.

1. Let’s Not Wait for Inspections and FIRs

Often we only clean our acts when a Vigilance Officer visits, or a media report goes viral, or an RTI exposes our lapses. That must change.

True reform is internal. Let’s not fear punishment—let us fear disrespect from the public.

We should not be afraid of being caught; we should be afraid of being called corrupt in front of our children.

Let us become models of discipline who do not wait for orders, notices, or threats—but choose honesty because that’s who we are.

VII. Respect Begins With Accountability

The Revenue Department was once the King of Departments. Land meant power. And the Patwari was the king’s agent on ground. But today, the public often speaks of us with suspicion and anger.

Why?

Because we allowed corruption to creep in. Because we did not resist unethical instructions. Because we did not clean our own house.

It is time to earn that respect back.

We can do this not through slogans or seminars, but by showing—case by case, service by service—that the era of delay and bribe is over.

Let the public say: “This Patwari didn’t take a penny from me. He did my work on merit.”

That one compliment is more valuable than all titles.

VIII. Small Actions, Big Changes

You don’t need to become a saint overnight. Start small:

Issue Fards within 24 hours.

Write mutations on priority, not favour.

Respect farmers when they visit your office.

Do spot Girdawaris honestly and in person.

Record oral statements truthfully.

Keep landowners informed of changes in records.

Say no—firmly but respectfully—when someone offers you money.

Every small honest act builds a strong institution.

1. The Government is Reforming. We Must Too.

The government is digitizing records, modernizing land maps, and launching portals like WALHARUS and Auto Mutation Integration. These are not mere IT projects—they are tools to reduce discretion and increase transparency.

But no amount of digitization will succeed if the Patwari is dishonest.

Technology may hide corruption, but only morality can remove it.

So let us align ourselves with this wave of reform. Let us be seen as partners, not hurdles.

Our Children Deserve to Be Proud

When your child grows up and someone asks: “What does your father do?”

Wouldn’t you want them to say: “My father is a Patwari—and an honest one at that”?

What’s the point of earning illegal money if it comes with public shame and inner guilt?

Let your legacy be service, not scandal.

Let your children learn from your example, not suffer from your reputation.

1. If We Reform, the Department Will Rise Again

If we, the Patwaries, decide today to reform—nothing can stop the Revenue Department from regaining its lost honour.

The media will begin writing positive stories.

The public will begin thanking us instead of fearing us.

The administration will trust us with more powers.

And the department will become the benchmark of good governance in the UT.

It has happened in other departments. It can happen here.

But the engine of that change must be the Patwari Circle.

Final Words: Let History Remember Us

Years from now, when the story of Jammu & Kashmir’s revenue transformation is written, let it include this line:

“It began when the Patwaries took a pledge of honesty—and kept it.”

Let that be our contribution to this land.

Let that be our legacy to future generations.

Let us not be remembered for what we ruined, but for what we rebuilt.

With folded hands,

With a voice of hope,

With the conviction of reform,

I urge you all: Let us clean our ranks. Let us serve with honour. Let us redeem the Revenue Department—one honest Patwari at a time.