Committee to check for misuse of Bhoodan land

Hyderabad: To fulfil its promise to give three acres of land to every landless Dalit family, the Telangana government is focusing on lakhs of acres of Bhoodhan lands in Medak, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Hyderabad districts.

The government on Saturday appointed B.R. Meena, principal secretary, revenue, to exercise the power of the Bhoodan Board. It will also constitute a Cabinet committee to look into the issue. The committee’s first meeting is likely to take place on Monday.

The committee will take up a survey of Bhoodan lands to identify the occupants and determine the extent to which they have been misused.  “These lands were sold to private individuals who were using it for commercial purposes,” said a revenue official, adding that the government would ascertain the facts before initiating necessary action. According to officials, only 314 acres of free land is left with the Bhoodan Board, which can be distributed.

When Gandhian Vinoba Bhave had launched the Bhoodan – or land gift – movement in April 1951, over 1,95,509 acre of land was handed over by 12,993 donors, a large part of which was distributed to 49,446 people to take up agriculture. Another 8,320 acre is in litigation for encroachment and trials are ongoing. While another 4000 acre has been retrieved from legal entangles.