Cold wave includes in the list of natural disasters on Chief Minister initiative

Bhopal: On the initiative of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Government included cold wave/frost in the list of natural disasters in the year 2012-13. The State Government effected significant increase in relief amounts against loss of life and crops in natural disasters by amending Revenue Book of Circulars (RBC) 6-4 in the same year.
Process to declare 708 majra-tolas as revenue villages got underway. Following constitution of 9 new tahsils, the total number of tahsils in the state rose to 352. RBC 6-4 was amended to provide compensation to farmers against loss to crops by wild animals. Besides computerisation of tahsil record rooms, 300 naib tahsildars were also appointed. The state was conferred prestigious Manthan Award-South Asia & Pacific Asia for recruitment of patwaris in the year 2012. Revenue redressal camps were organised at revenue inspector circles and tahsil level to dispose of revenue cases. Electronic copies of khasra and B-1 were given in all the districts. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan issued directives to give land rights to landless people who have constructed houses or occupied land for dwelling purpose in rural areas by conducting a campaign.
Following large-scale of loss to crops due to cold wave and frost in the year 2011 in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shri Chouhan had raised with issue forcefully with the Union Government to include these in the list of natural disasters. In July 2012, it was decided to include cold wave and frost in the list of disasters. Now, relief can be provided to affected farmers through State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) constituted under National Disaster Response Fund.
Under the Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act, the Revenue Department received maximum 2 lakh 48 thousand 460 applications for copy of khasra maps, land right & loan books, payment of relief against loss to crop due to wild animals, supply of copies of B-I khatauni, financial assistance against loss of limb or life due to natural disaster, provision of duplicate loan books, issuance of nazul NOC etc. Of these, 2 lakh 22 thousand 801 applications were disposed of within the time-limit.
Significant amendments were made in Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code in the year 2012 for speedy disposal of revenue cases in revenue courts. Limit of hearing has been restricted to three times with a view to curb practice of increasing dates of hearing repeatedly. Now, appellate officers cannot remand revenue cases and will have to take decisions themselves. This will reduce number of pending cases significantly. Similarly, appeal period was also reduced considerably in the year 2012. Now, appeal will have to be made to sub-divisional officers or collector or Commissioner Settlements within 30 days, Commissioner 45 days and Revenue Board in 60 days. Period for revision has also been fixed at 60 days.
Earlier, orders passed by subordinate courts were withheld of by taking stay orders from senior courts, which used to cause delay. Now, this disposal can be stayed for maximum months at a time. Section 34 has also been amended so that evidence can be given in courts at fixed dates. A fine upto Rs. 1000 will be imposed on witness if he or she does not turn up at the fixed date. Similarly, illegal disposal of government land has also been effectively checked.
For preventing encroachment on government land, fine has been increased upto 30 percent of market value of encroached land. Amount of fine on theft of wood from forests has been increased to Rs. 50 thousand. Similarly, for preventing theft of minerals, fine has been increased to four times that of mineral mined illegally. Land revenue payable by small and minor industries has been amended. On change in land use, half of amount of land revenue payable by small and minor industries will be taken on the land being used by them.
In the state, 9 new tahsils came into existence with effect from April 1, 2012. These include Budhar and Gohparo in Shahdol district, Rampura in Neemuch district, Chand in Chhindwara district, Birsa in Balaghat district, Sarai and Mada in Singrauli district, Katthiwara and Sondwa in Alirajpur district. Earlier, Lidhuara in Tikamgarh district was also declared as tahsil in the year 2012. With constitution of these new tahsils in the year 2012, two new divisions Shahdol and Narmadapuram, two new districts Alirajpur and Singrauli and 80 new tahsils came into existence in the state during last four years.
In April 2012 also, RBC 6-4 was amended to increase relief amount to disaster-affected farmers. compensation against loss of life was increased from Rs. one lakh to Rs. 1.50 lakh, loss of limb from Rs. 35 thousand to Rs. 43 thousand 500 and compensation against loss of 80 percent limb was increased from Rs. 50 thousand to Rs. 62 thousand 500.
‘Madhya Pradesh Gramon Ki Dakhal Rahit Bhoomi (Vishesh Upbandh) Adhiniyam 1970 was amended with the objective of giving land rights of eligibile dwellers in villages by increasing the cut-off date from June 23 1980 to December 31, 2011. Certificates have been issued to 15 thousand 858 of the surveyed families. Remaining 65 thousand 537 cases are under process.