The Andhra Pradesh government has announced plans to lift the ban on 22A lands, a move aimed at benefiting economically disadvantaged groups. District collectors have been instructed to submit reports within three days, detailing the number and categories of 22A lands in their jurisdictions. Additionally, the state will restart a comprehensive land resurvey on January 20.

Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad criticised the previous government for allegedly misusing 22A provisions to harass landowners and facilitate land grabbing. He stated that 450,000 acres were unlawfully exempted from the ban under the previous regime, with 7,000 acres registered illegally. The minister assured that all illegal registrations would be cancelled and action taken against officials involved in the irregularities.

During a review meeting with district collectors, MPs, MLAs, and senior officials, the minister highlighted concerns about corruption by Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs), including the creation of fake passbooks leading to loan scams. He announced that revenue conferences will continue until January 20, with grievances addressed within 45 days.

The resurvey process will be conducted meticulously, focusing on 20 acres per day per village to avoid errors and delays. Public representatives and officials will participate to ensure transparency. In areas where surveys have been completed, 180,000 complaints have been registered, all of which will be resolved with the issuance of updated passbooks.

This initiative is expected to provide clarity on land ownership, address grievances, and restore public confidence in the revenue system.

(ET)