Mumbai, March 10 Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Tuesday that the state government will appoint 200 licensed private surveyors to expedite pending land measurement cases, and they will begin fieldwork from March 30.
Speaking in the state assembly, Bawankule said the decision has been taken to clear the backlog of land measurement cases and provide faster services to citizens.
Through this system, land measurement work will be completed within 15 to 30 days, he said.
Currently, many cases related to land subdivision, boundary demarcation, conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use, and "gunthewari" plots are pending due to a shortage of staff in the revenue department.
To address this problem, the government has given work orders to 200 licensed private surveyors through two private agencies. These surveyors will undergo a special two-week training before starting work.
During the discussion, former minister Jayant Patil suggested that survey fees should be reduced for small landholders. Responding to this, Bawankule said the government is considering providing relief in survey fees to farmers owning less than 2.5 acres of land.
The minister said a pilot project will be started in about 17 to 18 talukas where the number of pending survey cases is high. Three talukas from each revenue division have been selected, totaling 18 talukas.
Private surveyors will work alongside government officials. Survey maps, reports, and GIS coordinates will be uploaded directly into the system, while the Deputy Superintendent of Land Records office will verify the work.
If any mistakes are found, strict action will be taken against the private surveyors, he said.
However, work related to encroachment on government land, land consolidation, or re-survey will not be given to private surveyors, Bawankule said.
District-level committees headed by the district collectors will be formed to expedite work such as land survey before purchase, sub-division by mutual consent, and measurement of access roads. This decision will reduce the workload on the government system and help resolve land disputes of citizens faster, he added.