Bihar Revenue Department Resolves Land Acquisition Deadlock: Compensation Only for Actual Occupants

The Revenue and Land Reforms Department has taken a big decision towards resolving the complexities arising during the process of land acquisition in the villages where consolidation has been done. Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department Deepak Kumar Singh has issued instructions to the District Magistrates of all the districts and clarified that in such cases where there is a difference in Khatian, Jamabandi and Dakhil possession, compensation will be given only to the actual occupant Raiyat.
Under the Bihar Consolidation Act, 1956, the process of consolidation was started in 5657 villages of the state. Out of these, this process has been completed in 2158 villages and notification has also been issued. Despite this, the possession of the Raiyats at many places is still on the basis of old survey Khatian (CS/RS) while the Consolidation Khatian and Jamabandi of Register-2 have been updated.
According to the Additional Chief Secretary, in many such cases, there are obstacles in the payment of land acquisition due to mismatch in Consolidation Khatian, online Jamabandi and actual possession of the land. Due to this, various development projects are getting affected.
In the instructions issued to resolve this situation, it has been said that only the person who is actually in possession of the khesra or khesra portion whose land is being acquired, will be considered as an interested raiyat and will be paid. Provided that he is not an encroacher and his claim is proved by the previous khatian or transactions based on it.
District land acquisition officers have been directed to pass self-inflicted orders in such cases, in which it should be clarified on what basis the actual occupant has been paid, even if it does not match the khatian or jamabandi.
Legal advice has also been obtained on this and the process of amendment in the relevant Acts is going on. This interim solution has been implemented for the time being without waiting for the amendment so that the pace of development work is not affected.