Jammu, February 24 (Scoop News) – Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla has asked the Revenue Officers to clear all the pending cases under Roshni Act by March 31 adding that delay in its implementation has negative fall out on the people seeking ownership under the Act.
The Minister issued the direction while chairing the meeting of Revenue and Evacuee Property Officers here this afternoon.
Minister of State for Revenue, Nasir Aslam Wani, Financial Commissioner Revenue, Parmod Jain, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Secretary, Revenue, Ejaz Iqbal, Custodian General, A A Lateif –u- Zaman Deva, Custodian, Jammu, Abdul Majid Wani, Relief Commissioner (Migrants), Vinod Koul, Settlement Commissioner, Sudershan Sharma besides other senior officers of Revenue, Evacuee Property, Relief and Finance were present in the meeting.
Bhalla discussed various issues related to revenue department and asked the officers to strengthen the department through internal audit. He asked them to improve financial management system through monthly review meetings. He called for checking the receipts and timely replies to the audit reports received from the Accountant General’s office to ensure its proper compliance.
The Minister directed for ensuring timely reconciliation of revenue and expenditure figures by deputing reconciliation parties to the office of Principal Accountant General within the prescribed time frame. He threatened strict action against the officers and officials for non compliance of instructions cautioning that no one would be spared for slackness in duties.
Bhalla asked the DDCs to conduct monthly inspections to tehsil headquarters in their respective jurisdictions and submit reports to higher authorities. Regarding telephone, computer and vehicle facilities to Tehsildars and Naib-tehsildars in remote and far-off areas of the State, he said the demands are under active consideration and would be redressed shortly. He said Government has formulated a comprehensive plan to equip all the Niabats and Patwar Khans at par with revenue offices in urban pockets so that the locals could trace their revenue related records at their doorstep offices.
Responding to the demand, the Minister asked the Divisional Commissioners to submit the list of retired skilled Naib-Tehsildars, Girdarwars and Patwaris so that they could be engaged on honorarium basis in the department for speedy disposal of general masses issues. He asked for submitting the progress of revenue office buildings, mini secretariats besides detail of disposal cases under Roshni Act.
He asked them to issue instructions to revenue staff to stop giving ownership rights of ‘Gair Mumkin Khuds’, which were the main source of encroachments by the professional land grabbers.
On the occasion, Nasir asked the Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to personally monitor the functioning of revenue department in their jurisdictions besides progress of development works and details of disposal of pending cases of people on monthly basis like land acquisition, NCRF, relief and Roshni Act. He asked the officers to restore Government land from grabbers in their respective areas forcefully with the help of police department.
Later, Bhalla and Nasir visited Udhaywala to inspect the proposed 20 kanals EP site for construction of Banquet Hall for which Government has earmarked Rs 5 crore for construction of restaurant, kitty party hall and kitchen, lawn, parking and banquet hall. He said on the construction of it, the people of city of temples would arrange social as well as religious functions there on nominal fee fixed by the EP authorities.
Bhalla said Government is embarking on a plan to develop banquet halls, shopping and residential complexes on the vacant evacuee land across the State to generate recurring source of revenue. This land will be put on lease to the interested parties.
At Jammu University, the Minister also inaugurated 3-day exhibition on Dogra Traditional Instruments ‘Virasat-e-Riyasat’ at General Zorawar Singh auditorium in Jammu University and inspected displayed Dogra instruments like Totta, Sarangi, Chakara, Kingg, Santoor, Kansian, Dhol, Dholki, Ransingha, Sarangi, Surnai, Nagara with stick etc.
The exhibition organized by students of Music, Dance and Drama of Jammu University.
On the occasion, Vice-Chancellors of Jammu and Kashmir Universities besides faculty members, students and exhibition lovers were present.