The decision was taken after widespread dissatisfaction among farmers

The previous government’s decision to personalize land records with political branding has now resulted in significant additional expenditure of Rs. 700 crore for the current administration, as fresh printing and distribution of passbooks will require substantial funds

kiranmai tutika | AMARAVATI

In a major policy reversal, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to withdraw the land passbooks issued under the previous administration and replace them with newly printed documents featuring the state’s official emblem. The Revenue Department has announced that the distribution of the new passbooks will commence on April 1.

The decision was taken after widespread dissatisfaction among farmers over the passbooks issued under the ‘Jagananna Saswatha Bhoohakku – Bhooraksha’ scheme, which prominently featured images of former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Many farmers reportedly rejected these documents, leading to administrative hurdles in land transactions.

Revenue Minister Anagani Sathya Prasad stated that by the end of March, all survey records carrying Jagan Mohan Reddy’s images and names would be removed. The minister emphasized that this rectification process was necessary to restore trust among farmers and ensure smooth land-related transactions.

The previous government’s decision to personalize land records with political branding has now resulted in significant additional expenditure of Rs. 700 crore for the current administration, as fresh printing and distribution of passbooks will require substantial funds. However, the Naidu-led government is determined to proceed, arguing that the new documents will uphold neutrality and credibility in land ownership records.

Furthermore, the revenue department is expediting the resolution of grievances raised by the public during recent revenue conferences and re-survey campaigns across 8,680 villages. This move signals a broader effort by the Naidu government to dismantle politically motivated initiatives of the previous administration while prioritizing administrative transparency and public acceptance.