Aadhaar link to pattadar passbooks creates problems

Revenue Dept. lands in a piquant situation in rectification of mismatches

Empowerment: File photo of some of the Ponala tribal farmers with their new (left) and old pattadar passbooks.

The Revenue Department which has taken up the ambitious land record updation programme is apparently in a piquant situation in rectification of errors printed in the pattadar passbooks.

The department is finding it a difficult task to rectify errors, especially the mismatches in the photographs printed on the passbooks and those of the original land owner. Inquiries revealed that a majority of these mismatches were reported after Aadhaar linkage had been made mandatory for the issuance of the new security feature-oriented passbooks.

Wrong Aadhaar

Several farmers, who did not enrol themselves for issue of Aadhaar cards during several drives conducted by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), gave Aadhaar numbers of either their near and dear ones or close acquaintances in the applications filled for the new passbooks as it was made a pre-condition for the issuance of the passbook.

As a result, the software utilised for printing pattadar passbooks downloaded the photographs and details of the respective Aadhaar cardholders from the UIDAI website resulting in the mismatch.

The department had therefore decided to take up re-verification of the Aadhaar numbers related to the passbooks where mismatches were reported. In addition, it was also decided to take the cooperation of the UIDAI for issuing Aadhaar cards to farmers who missed out on enrolling their names.

Deadline extension

Sources said the June 20 deadline set for completion of the land record updation programme would be extended by about a fortnight so that all eligible farmers were issued Aadhaar cards which would in turn become handy for the department in its efforts to rectify the errors.

Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) Mohd. Mahmood Ali told The Hindu that a major chunk of work on updating land records had been completed except for some which had been delayed because of technicalities. “There is no need to panic. All farmers will be issued passbooks and the government is committed to complete the programme without giving scope for any complaints in future,” he asserted.