Vigilance of Minority Welfare Department is urgently required as endowment and Waqf lands face grave threat.
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD – The Dharani portal, introduced by the former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government to safeguard curb irregularities in land matters, has come under intense scrutiny following revelations of significant flaws. Despite lofty claims by the K. Chandrashekar Rao government regarding the portal’s effectiveness, the transition in government has unearthed multiple discrepancies, prompting the Revanth Reddy administration to announce plans to replace the Dharani portal with an alternative system.
A committee set up by the government has shed light on various troubling findings, particularly concerning the registration of government, Waqf, and endowment lands. Alarmingly, there is widespread apprehension over the potential loss of Waqf and endowment lands due to their erroneous categorisation as government property within the Dharani portal. This oversight has raised concerns over the lack of coordination between relevant departments during the portal’s record preparation phase.
Media reports said the endowment department has laid claim to 87,235 acres of land statewide. But records in Dharani portal indicate only 49,000 acres allotted to the department. Similarly, the Telangana Waqf Board has asserted ownership of over 77,538 acres of land, yet more than half of this has been erroneously classified as government property, potentially jeopardising the board’s ownership rights over valuable assets. The Forest Department has encountered similar discrepancies, with the recorded forest land falling short of the department’s claimed acreage.
Officials attribute these discrepancies to hasty actions taken during the land registration process, which neglected to cross-reference records from relevant departments. Furthermore, the unauthorised occupation of numerous valuable lands belonging to the Telangana Waqf Board has compounded concerns, with approximately 57,000 acres of land currently under illegal occupation.
Additionally, over 2 lakh complaints related to the Dharani portal are pending government review. A high-powered committee has been tasked with investigating these issues and proposing solutions from the ground level, including restoration of revenue staff at the departmental level.
To avert potential losses, officials from the Minority Welfare Department and the Waqf Board must promptly assert their ownership rights over the 77,538 acres of land registered in the Dharani portal. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has affirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding endowment properties, offering reassurances during a meeting with endowment board members.
The government’s resolve to protect these properties must be demonstrated through decisive action, ensuring that endowment and Waqf lands are rightfully preserved for the benefit of the community.