39 lakhs 'land mutation disputes' disposed of in 28 months:Minister

Patna, Mar 26 (UNI) Apart from initiating several steps to ensure land reforms in Bihar, altogether 39 lakh ''land mutation disputes'' were disposed off since the Nitish Kumar government was voted to power in the state about two years back, said state Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Ramnath Thakur in Legislative Council today.

While replying to the special debate on budgetary demand of his department in upper House of the state legislature, Mr Thakur said ''mutation disputes'' was the prime concern of the state government, as it was the root cause behind obstacles in way of land reforms in the state.

''Soon after coming to power on November 24, 2005, the NDA government had given top priority to settle the mutation disputes and had also directed all concerned officers including the divisional commissioners and district magistrates across the state, to dispose off the mutation related disputes by organising special camps in their respective jurisdiction,'' he said adding altogether 39 lakh mutation disputes were disposed off during the past two years and four months.

Taking pot-shot at the previous Lalu-Rabri regime in Bihar, Mr Thakur said the land dispute litigations were not accorded due attention in their era, leading to aggravation of social tension in rural areas.

''The Bihar government had also taken step to fill-up the vacant posts of Circle Officers(COs) and other revenue personnel to step up the land reforms process in the state,'' he said adding the state government was implementing the recommendation of the land reforms committee, set up in June 2006.

Since the submission of the report to the state government by the land reforms committee, a total amount of Rs 67.44 crores had been disbursed among the farming community while 1634 acres of land were distributed among 533 landless farmers families,the minister informed the House.Later the House passed the budgetary demand of the Revenue and Land Reforms department.

UNI KKS-RS ADG SRC 1915