The State government will soon issue a directive to the Forest and Revenue departments to expedite issuance of title deeds to farmers under the Forest Rights Act, Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa said on Thursday.
In the directive, officials will be asked to consider as evidence the oral statement issued by the elder of the village or the community to confirm the period of domicile of the applicant, the Minister said at a press conference here.
According to the Act, a period of domicile of three generations or 75 years is mandatory for farmers from non-Scheduled Tribe communities to get title deeds on forest land. Many farmers engaged in cultivation of forest land don’t possess these documents and thus their applications are rejected. There is a provision in the Act to consider the oral statement issued by the village elder as proof to confer title deeds, but it is unfortunate that many officials are unaware of the provision and are thus rejecting applications, Mr. Thimmappa said.
The last date for submitting applications for regularisation of houses constructed on revenue land in rural areas has been extended to February 21. For urban areas, it is February 22. Village accountants have been directed to conduct a door-to-door survey in their jurisdiction to identify the families that have not yet applied for regularisation and provide application forms to them, he said.
The ceiling for regularisation in rural areas is 30x80 feet. There have been complaints that officials are conferring title deeds only for the built-in area and not regularising the space utilised for cattle shed, storing fodder and agricultural produce. The Minister said he would direct officials to regularise the entire land as long as it is under 30x80 feet.
