Rythu Bandhu boosts Telangana revenue too

KHAMMAM: The Rythu Bandu scheme has boosted the revenue of the registration and stamps department in Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Bhadradri districts. Farmers who had bought lands and not registered their sale agreements are now coming forward to complete the process leading to increase in revenue of the registration department. More than 285 persons completed their sale agreements in the past six months. 

Farmers in rural areas often conduct the land transaction on sale deeds and avoid registering it to save money. They have now changed the practice as the amount under the Rythu Bandu scheme will be given only to the land owners who have registered their sale agreements in land records. Only then will they be given pattadar passbooks in their name. 

The income of the registration and stamps department in 2017-18 reflected the growth in land registrations by the people. Consequently, sale of land for house sites came down during the period. 

The revenue from the registration department was not very impressive in recent years as officials had failed to achieve the targets. The income statements of 2015-16 and 2016-17 proved this. 

Surprisingly, officials at various registration offices in Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Bhadradri districts achieved 91 per cent of their target in 2017-18 and the offices earned Rs 91 crore against Rs 101-core target during the year. 

The registration office in Khammam earned Rs 43 crore against Rs 51-crore target, followed by Kusumanchi office with Rs 6.01 crore against its Rs 8.56-crore target. Sattupalli registration office earned Rs 6.31 crore against Rs 7 crore and Kallur office Rs 2.44 crore against Rs 3-crore target. 

Another positive development due to the Rythu Bandu scheme was that people are looking forward to owning farm lands and around 450 sale agreements were entered into since April 2018. These agreements have not been registered as it will be done only after the completion of the time limit. 

Interestingly, most of the farmers who planned to sell their lands postponed it after the Rythu Bandu scheme was announced. 

N. Venkat Rao, a farmer, said, “Rythu Bandu has kindled in the minds of farmers a spirit of owning land and those who own land, retaining it. Those who are in need of money now sell only a portion of their land, preferring to retain the rest.”