PUNE: Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has initiated a statewide effort to correct revenue records for government leasehold land. This action follows the identification of numerous cases where leaseholders have been improperly categorized as “occupants,” enabling them to make illegal claims on valuable public land.
District collectors have been instructed to review these entries and update the records within three months.
This directive comes in the wake of findings by the Vikas Kharge committee, which investigated land irregularities in Pune’s Mundhwa area. The committee highlighted widespread record manipulation and recommended significant reforms to protect public property. These findings were presented to the state legislature during the budget session and exposed critical flaws in the documentation process.
Bawankule stated, “The primary aim of this initiative is to enhance the transparency, accuracy, and citizen focus of the revenue administration. These measures will establish a consistent system across the state, improving the accuracy of government land data, minimizing disputes, and bolstering revenue management.”
Under the new guidelines from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Record of Rights for all government land must list only the “state government” as the occupant, regardless of whether the land has been leased to individuals, private firms, institutions, or other entities.
A departmental circular pointed out that government land is often leased for extended periods—from 30 to 999 years. However, many leaseholders have erroneously been recorded as occupants without proper government authorization.
In Pune, officials confirmed that the initiative is already in progress. “Notices have been issued, and land has already been reclaimed in 15 cases,” an official told TOI. “We are verifying to ensure land is being used as intended and that all records are legally justified.”
According to the revenue department, past improper record-keeping led leaseholders to regard public land as private property, leading to increased litigation and ownership conflicts.
To eliminate this issue, the government has introduced a new recording process for the Record of Rights. It has become mandatory that only the state government be listed as the occupant in the relevant records, while the “other rights” column must include the leaseholder’s name, lease duration, and specific terms of the lease.
The circular also addresses leases granted before the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code of 1966. For leases given on a permanent basis or for 50 years with renewal options, officials must classify them under “occupant Class-II.” District collectors are required to make these entries within 30 days and report compliance to the state government.
Senior officials believe this initiative will enhance oversight of valuable properties and deter future encroachment or misappropriation of state assets.
