Ownership rights to more than 1 cr families in MP

Bhopal, Oct 10 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh's Bharatiya Janata Party government is about to embark on a key initiative to grant ownership rights to about 1.25 crore families residing in rural regions.

''This is the first state to take such a decision whereby farmers, labourers and others will be granted ownership rights to land and houses thereby enabling them to avail bank loans. The beneficiaries will find such rights helpful vis-a-vis legal procedures,'' Revenue Minister Kamal Patel claimed today at a Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Central Press Club here.

A statewide survey would be initiated on January 26, 2008 and the rights will be granted to all the would-be beneficiaries by August 15.

''Amendments in the Revenue Book Circular have brought crop damage -- caused by caterpillars -- within the ambit of compensation and that is another first in Madhya Pradesh,'' the Minister said while adding that the Centre acknowledged the decision and decided to implement it at national level.

''Three parts of the land rights booklet are being combined, through computerisation, for peasants' benefit. A pending demand by ryots, to make the 11,000-plus patwari halkas -- instead of 212 tahsils -- the units for crop damage assessment, has been fulfilled.

Master plans will be drawn for all 53,000 villages. Cowsheds will be set up at as many as 23,000 village panchayats,'' Mr Patel added.

UNI