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Telangana’s Bhu Bharati Land System Faces Implementation Questions
Telangana changed its land-record system from Dharani to Bhu Bharati.
Land records show who has rights over a piece of land.
Bhu Bharati lets people ask officials to fix mistakes in these records.
It also requires inquiries before inherited land is changed into someone else’s name.
People can appeal some decisions to higher revenue officials.
The law also covers maps, unique Bhudhar numbers and some unregistered sale agreements.
However, the older Dharani records are still being used until new surveys or updates are completed.
One expert says political influence still makes it difficult for farmers to solve land problems.
The new system may help, but its success depends on how well officials put it into practice.
Telangana replaced the Dharani system with the Bhu Bharati Act, 2025, after Congress made the change an election promise.
Revenue expert A Padmachari says political intervention continues to leave farmers dependent on political leaders for land-related solutions.
Bhu Bharati allows corrections, inheritance inquiries, appeals, survey maps and recognition of additional land rights.
The law provides a process for eligible Sada Bainama transactions, which Dharani did not cover.
Experts say the system’s benefits will depend on timely implementation, accurate surveys and effective appellate authorities.
- Who
- The Telangana government, farmers, revenue officials and revenue expert A Padmachari are central to the issue.
- What
- Telangana replaced the Dharani framework with the Telangana Bhu Bharati (Record of Rights in Land) Act, 2025.
- Where
- Telangana, with the issue discussed in Hyderabad.
- When
- Congress promised the replacement during the 2023 Telangana elections; the Bhu Bharati Act was introduced in 2025.
- Why
- The new law was intended to improve land-record correction, registration, mutation, inheritance, appeals, surveys and recognition of land rights.
Criticism and Implementation Concerns
Stated Benefits of Bhu Bharati
Whether the new system solves farmers’ problems
Criticism and Implementation Concerns
A Padmachari argues that Dharani and Bhu Bharati are effectively the same and that political intervention continues to prevent farmers from obtaining timely solutions.
Stated Benefits of Bhu Bharati
The law creates broader administrative routes for correcting records, handling inheritance and appealing revenue decisions.
Role of political influence
Criticism and Implementation Concerns
The expert says farmers increasingly have to approach political leaders because land-problem resolution has become dependent on their intervention.
Stated Benefits of Bhu Bharati
Bhu Bharati is intended to allow more grievances to be resolved through revenue officials, including the Revenue Divisional Officer and District Collector.
Practical effectiveness
Criticism and Implementation Concerns
Experts say announced special programmes to amend records or create new Records of Rights are not being implemented as quickly as promised.
Stated Benefits of Bhu Bharati
Supporters of the framework would point to its provisions for surveys, maps, Bhudhar numbers, public access to records and updated village registers, though the article says benefits depend on implementation.
Key facts
- New law
- Telangana Bhu Bharati (Record of Rights in Land) Act, 2025
- Previous system
- Dharani, established as the Record of Rights under the 2020 legislation
- Record status
- Existing Dharani records continue to serve as the Record of Rights under Bhu Bharati until updates or new surveys are undertaken.
- Correction process
- Applications to correct records or include omitted rights-holders can be examined by the Revenue Divisional Officer and District Collector.
- Appeals
- Bhu Bharati provides appeals involving the Revenue Divisional Officer, District Collector and, in specified matters, the Land Tribunal.
- Land identification
- The law provides for temporary and permanent Bhudhar numbers and the inclusion of maps in Pattadar Passbooks.
- Coverage
- The Act covers agricultural, non-agricultural and Abadi lands, but excludes government, Jagir and Inam lands.
Quotes
A Padmachari
Revenue expert and Supreme Court advocate
“Earlier, revenue officials used to resolve land-related problems in the Telangana region of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. However, the situation has now reached a stage where farmers have to approach political leaders.”
thehansindia.com
“Why have so many problems arisen for farmers after the creation of a separate Telangana State?”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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