Dharani, an
Integrated Land Records Management System brought out by the BRS Government, is
now a bone of contention for political parties in Telangana and is emerging as
an election issue ahead of the Assembly polls November 30.
Chief Minister K
Chandrasekhar Rao-led dispensation launched the Dharani portal in October 2020
as part of reforms in land administration and a one-stop solution for
registrations.
The State Government
also identifies beneficiaries for its flagship scheme “Rythu Bandhu”, financial
assistance to farmers, using Dharani records.
However, ever
since it was launched, the project has become a bone of contention with Opposition
parties alleging that the ruling party is using the system to “grab lands.” The
BRS countered the allegations by labeling the project as a progressive reform.
Leaders from BJP
president JP Nadda to AICC former chief Rahul Gandhi severely criticised
Dharani in several rallies and other gatherings. Rao, on his part, said project
Dharani eliminated “middlemen” in land transactions.
Both the Congress
and BJP vowed to abolish Dharani if they were voted to power.
Saying that the
farmers also complained about the Dharani in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi condemned
it strongly in a meeting last year.
He said it is a criminal
act where a system to modernise land records is dispossessing tens of thousands
of Dalits, Adivasis, and other backward castes of their own lands.
Countering the Opposition
parties’ remarks, KCR on several occasions said farmers will have control over
their land with the Dharani portal, and in the absence of it, land records and
registration will get lost in a vicious bureaucratic cycle.
He said with the
new system, farmers can sell or buy land using their thumb impression,
eliminating middlemen.
A farmer from
Nalgonda district, who did not wish to be named, said though there are some
benefits with Dharani, there are still technical glitches. These caused trouble
to the farmers as there were delays in updating their records.
He further said
earlier when a dispute erupted, local revenue officials were authorised to
update records after proper inquiry. However, the system was abolished with the
launch of Dharani.
Political analyst
Telakapalli Ravi said there are mixed versions on the Dharani portal and it may
not be a decisive factor in the Assembly polls.
PTI
