Amidst farmer concerns and official apathy: Aadhaar-RTC linking program gets stalled
Bengaluru: Karnataka's ambitious program to link Aadhaar with RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops) documents, aimed at curbing fraudulent land sales and scams, is facing significant delays. The slowdown is attributed to a combination of factors, including a lack of information dissemination, official indifference, fear among farmers of losing government benefits, and concerns about revealing benami (proxy) land registrations.
The issue was a prominent point of discussion in a recent meeting held at Vidhana Soudha, attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, senior ministers, and all district commissioners.
During the meeting, CM Siddaramaiah reportedly grilled the district commissioners about the sluggish pace of the linking process. Officials were subsequently instructed to expedite efforts to link at least 2.01 crore RTCs with Aadhaar in the coming days.
Despite various other responsibilities, revenue department officials have managed to link Aadhaar with 2.27 crore RTCs. However, critics argue that officials have largely failed to generate widespread consensus among farmers and encourage their voluntary participation in the scheme.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda's Aadhaar seeding initiative, like several other programs he oversees, appears to be stuck at around the '50 percent' mark.
According to sources within the Revenue Department, out of 4,36,60,803 RTC holders in the state, Aadhaar had initially been seeded with 1,42,34,656 RTCs.
The directive from the aforementioned meeting was to bring at least 2.01 crore farmers under the purview of this scheme as soon as possible.
As of June 10, records indicate that 2,27,70,170 RTCs have been linked with Aadhaar. While the Revenue Department claims an 85% progress, when compared to the total number of RTC holders, the actual progress hovers around 50%.
Several key reasons are contributing to the campaign's sluggish pace. A major hurdle is the unresolved issue of 'Pouthi Khata' (heir transfer of property), with 60,000-80,000 such cases pending settlement in some districts. Additionally, 24 lakh 'Podhi' (subdivision) cases are pending, along with 15 lakh 'Podhi Durasti' (subdivision correction) cases. Beyond these documentation-related issues, many farmers harbour anxieties and objections regarding the linking of their RTCs with Aadhaar.
There's a prevailing fear that this process could lead to a reduction in existing government benefits, electricity subsidies, and centrally sponsored grants. The apprehension that benami registrations might come to light is also a significant factor contributing to the reluctance among farmers.
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