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Chandigarh, February 13: The Punjab Government led by Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday notified a 6-member Revenue Commission to bring in greater efficiency and accountability in the functioning of Revenue Department.
The Commission to be headed by Justice (Retd.) S.S. Saron, would be tasked with streamlining the existing laws, procedures and processes relating to land administration in line with the requirements of modern agricultural and non-agricultural uses. It will propose new laws and procedures, along with other methods, to make revenue administration more transparent and responsive to the needs of the people.
Giving details, a spokesperson of Chief Minister’s Office said the Commission would have Chairman, RERA N.S. Kang; Former Professor & Head of the Department, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala Dr. S.S. Gill; Ex-PCS Officer Jaswant Singh; and MD State Co-operative Bank (Retd.) G.S. Mangat, as its other members. Advisor, Punjab Land Records Society (PLRS) N.S. Sangha will be its Member Secretary.
According to the notification issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), the Punjab Land Records Society would provide secretarial assistance to the Commission. Such officers of the Revenue Department and other relevant Departments of the State Government as are required shall also be associated to support the Commission, which may also associate experts as it considers necessary.
The Commission, which would submit its report on the issues referred to it from time to time, will have a term of one year or as decided by the Government. It will meet as per its requirements.
The spokesperson further said the Commission would have the mandate to review the organizational structure of revenue related aspirations, expectations, needs and requirements of the contemporary Punjabi society. It will suggest norms of population, area etc. for all administrative units viz Division, District, Sub-Division, Tehsil, Sub-Tehsil, Kanungos & Patwar circle.
It will also examine Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887, Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972 and other related Acts and Manuals administered by the Department of Revenue, to assess their relevance in the present scenario of land use and land holdings, etc. The Commission would be tasked with suggesting amendments in the existing Acts, Rules and Manuals and also with recommending the repeal of existing Acts, Rules and Manuals etc., which have become out dated and are no more required.
The notification further stipulated the enactment of new Acts and Rules, if required, in view of emerging requirements of land for the use of Agriculture and Industry, and suggest whether the State should move towards a system of conclusive title in place of existing presumptive title and if yes, the procedures for the same. The Commission would also review the existing policies with regard to disposal/utilization of Government lands, especially Nazool land, evacuee land and muafi land, and suggest necessary amendments.
Apart from this, the Commission would also review the existing Acts and Rules pertaining to Urban Properties in order to protect the rights of people in urban land, maintenance of records and procedures. The Commission may also suggest measures or give observations regarding the Acts and Rules etc., administered by other Departments of the Government of Punjab, to minimize the frictions and achieve the much needed cohesiveness between them.
The Commission would devise its own procedures for its functioning. It may call for and study any record/files/reports of any department under the Government of Punjab. It may visit anywhere in India for perusal and study of such records and procedures as it may deem proper.
