Shimla, Sept 2,
In a bid to facilitate the public in accessing old revenue records, the Himachal Pradesh government is considering the engagement of Urdu translators to decipher these documents, which are predominantly in Urdu and Punjabi. This was announced by the Revenue Minister, Jagat Singh Negi, during the state assembly session on Monday.
Responding to a query raised by Congress member Kewal Singh Pathania during the question hour, Negi acknowledged the significant costs associated with translating these historical records, stating that charges currently range between Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000. Pathania urged the government to provide translation services for revenue records at an affordable rate, emphasizing the financial burden on the public.
Minister Negi expressed that while it is not feasible for the state to shoulder the heavy costs of translating these old records for private individuals, the government is exploring alternatives. He mentioned that the department is considering employing Urdu translators at the departmental level to make these records accessible to the general public.
The Minister further elaborated on the efforts being made to simplify the language of the revenue records to ensure that they are easily understandable and accessible. “We are working towards creating all revenue records in a simple language, so that the public can access them without any inconvenience,” Negi stated.
In response to a similar query by Congress MLA Bhawani Pathania, Negi mentioned that the suggestion to incorporate Google Translate for Urdu and Punjabi on smartphones is under consideration. This could potentially offer a more immediate and cost-effective solution for those needing translations of revenue records.
The discussion also touched upon concerns related to land settlement processes. In response to a question from MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur, the Minister clarified that during land settlement, the measurement of land is now being done in meters after conversion from deeds. He pointed out that this process is governed by the provisions outlined in the Land Settlement Instruction Collection of 1998, approved by the Himachal Pradesh government.
Minister Negi also addressed concerns regarding the disappearance of revenue roads from records during land settlement, emphasizing that no such cases have been reported to the government. However, he did acknowledge four instances of unauthorized occupation of settlement roads in Tehsil Kasauli, District Solan. The Minister assured the assembly that any discrepancies in the records can be rectified by the Collector Land Settlement as per Sections 37 and 38 of the Himachal Land Revenue Act, 1954.
The issue of improper settlement processes in several villages of Kasauli was also brought up by MLA Vinod Sultanpuri, further underscoring the need for transparency and accuracy in revenue record-keeping and translation services.
The discussion highlighted the government’s commitment to improving public access to essential records while maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the land settlement process in Himachal Pradesh.
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