GUWAHATI, Feb 27 - The outstanding land revenue in the State is to the tune of over Rs 150 crore, the Assembly was informed today.
The highest outstanding amount is in Kamrup Metro district which is Rs 43.53 crore. Nagaon has around Rs 11 crore of revenue yet to be realised from land holders. Tea gardens and industries, including the oil sector, account for majority of the outstanding amount.
Replying to a question raised by AGP MLA Phani Bhusan Choudhury during the question hour at the Assembly today, Minister of State for Revenue Pallab Lochan Das cited several reasons due to which the government is unable to realise the outstanding dues.
�There are joint pattas in places. There is no system for payment of partial amounts. Awareness level is also not high and the enforcement mechanism is weak,� Das said. He also admitted that people whose lands have been washed away by erosion are not willing to pay the revenue.
�The people who have lost their lands due to floods, erosion or changes in river course are neither paying the revenue nor willing to let go off their holdings in the hope that the rivers would change course again and they would regain their plots,� he said.
The minister said instructions have been given to the district heads to realise the land revenue at the earliest.
The government, he said, is setting up an integrated land record management system, an online mechanism which would streamline the functioning of the revenue department and address issues plaguing it.
�From registration to payment of revenue... everything will be online. We have also made the mouzadari system online. A land bank is also in the pipeline. A massive awareness drive will be conducted from March,� he said.
