Jammu: Minister for Revenue Ali Mohammad Sagar on Tuesday directed the Revenue Department to expedite the digitisation and verification of land records, while strengthening field-level administration and improving the delivery of public services.
Chairing a review meeting of the department, Sagar stressed that digitisation must be supported by proper verification and authentication of records to ensure accuracy and prevent discrepancies. He said the exercise should go beyond converting physical documents into electronic formats and make land records transparent, reliable and easily accessible to citizens.
The minister directed officers to make the Settlement Wing fully functional and ensure that settlement operations progress alongside digitisation. He also called for a time-bound plan to address infrastructure and manpower shortages, particularly in remote and far-flung areas.
Emphasising the need to strengthen the grassroots revenue administration, Sagar said every Patwar Halqa should be equipped with computers, electricity, internet connectivity and other essential facilities to facilitate digital services.
The condition of historical revenue records also figured prominently during the meeting. Sagar called for strengthening Mahafiz Khanas with adequate infrastructure, trained staff and modern preservation facilities to safeguard documents such as Lathas, Jamabandis and Massavis.
He directed officers to put in place a systematic mechanism for identifying, retrieving and reconstructing missing, damaged or incomplete records using authentic historical references and verifiable sources. He cautioned against incorporating unverified entries into digitised land records.
On manpower shortages, the minister stressed the need to fill vacancies at the Patwari, Girdawar and Naib Tehsildar levels, observing that strengthening the administrative structure at higher levels would not be sufficient without adequate field staff. He also called for proper accommodation and facilities in Patwar and Girdawar Khanas, particularly in underserved areas.
Reviewing routine public services, Sagar directed officers to ensure timely mutation entries, correction of discrepancies and regular updating of records. He also called for an effective grievance-redressal mechanism to prevent citizens from making repeated visits to government offices for revenue-related services.
The minister further stressed regular coordination with legislators and other elected representatives to identify area-specific issues involving disputed or missing land records, settlement operations, infrastructure gaps and public grievances.
Secretary Revenue Avny Lavasa, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, Custodian General, Inspector General of Registration, additional deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners revenue, tehsildars and other senior and field-level officers attended the meeting.
