Patwaris withdraw aides, work in seven districts comes to halt

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 7

Revenue work across almost 50 per cent of patwar circles has come to a grinding halt ever since private assistants hired by patwaris to assist them have been withdrawn.

As a result, no work related to mutation of land, farad of properties, grant of caste and income certificates, identification of beneficiaries under the Food for All Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi Yojana, etc, is being done in 2,100 revenue patwar circles for the past 10 days. This has put the common man in trouble, especially students who need certificates for admissions to colleges and universities besides distressed farmers.

The Tribune had reported in its columns on July 5 how patwaris had hired private persons to work on their behalf, without getting any sanction for the same from the government. An inquiry by the Revenue Department, on the directions of the state Vigilance Department, had established that the practice was prevalent in almost all districts of the state. Following the inquiry, the practice was stopped but patwaris refused to take over the work of other patwar circles.

As against 4,716 posts of patwaris, only 2,600 are working while 2,100 posts are lying vacant. Information gathered by The Tribune shows that in seven districts of the state — Nawanshahr (178 posts, 128 vacant), Pathankot (99 posts, 68 vacant), Tarn Taran (229 posts, 122 vacant), Hoshiarpur (435 posts, 288 vacant), Kapurthala (188 posts, 69 vacant), Jalandhar (401 posts, 224 vacant) and Ludhiana (449 posts, 267 vacant) — no revenue-related work is being done for the past 10 days.

Angad Saini, Congress MLA from Nawanshahr, said the issue was serious and he was facing the wrath of people daily for government’s inability to ensure that revenue work was carried on smoothly. “Since the problem is grave in my constituency, I have raised the matter with the minister, financial commissioner, revenue, and even in the district grievances committee meetings, but to no avail,” he said.

Need more staff: Patwar union

Mohan Singh, president of the Revenue Patwar Union, Punjab, said the department was facing shortage of staff and existing patwaris could not be expected to handle work of multiple circles. “The government should immediately recruit patwaris and train them,” he said.

Recruitment soon: Minister 

"I have been given the go-ahead to start the recruitment process by the CM. I have even held a meeting with the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, and asked him to bring the agenda in the next Cabinet meeting for recruiting 1,200 patwaris. Till then, existing patwaris are being asked to pitch in so that the work does not suffer." —               Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Revenue Minister