New land record law likely to replace Dharani in October

Hyderabad: The new Record of Rights (RoR) Act, which will replace the Dharani portal, will come into force from October, according to official sources. This will fulfil another promise made by the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections to replace the controversial Dharani portal brought by the previous BRS government for land management with the Bhumata portal.

After coming to power in December 2023, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy constituted a committee to identify the loopholes in the Dharani portal and suggest recommendations for bringing a better alternative to Dharani. Accordingly, the state government has decided to draft the new RoR Act to scrap the Dharani portal.

The Dharani portal was brought in by the BRS government by amending the RoR Act in 2020. Now, the government needs to amend the RoR Act again to bring Bhumata portal in the place of Dharani.

Accordingly, the Congress government released the draft RoR Act in August and sought feedback and suggestions from people across the state from August 2 to 23.

A majority of the people have asked for the land-related grievance redressal mechanism at tahsildar (MRO)-level to be restored, which was in existence before Dharani came into force in 2020.

People also sought restoration of revenue courts which were abolished after Dharani was introduced. People complained that under the Dharani model, they were forced to run around collectors’ offices in district headquarters and the CCLA office in Hyderabad even for seeking redressal for minor issues. They sought restoration of powers to MROs and RDOs to address land grievances so that they can approach them easily from their native places.

Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy directed officials to thoroughly consider the opinions and suggestions collected from the people on the new RoR Act.

The minister said that the revenue Act being brought by the Congress government would be an ideal model for the country, liberating people from the Dharani-related complications. "We are going to close the chapter of the Dharani portal, which was hurriedly introduced by the previous BRS government, causing immense difficulties for the people," he said.

The minister directed officials to expedite the drafting of the new RoR Act by September-end so that it could be brought into force from October, official sources added.