Speed Post News Network
Nawada: Demonetization has crippled revenue generated through registration of landed property in Nawada district. From a eddaily fixed target of Rs 15 lakh ( Rs 54 crore for the year 2016-17) fixed by the state government, it has now shrunk to merely Rs 2 lakh daily. That apart hundreds of legal agricultural plots which duly pay ‘malguzari’ (land revenue) every year, have been categorized as “gair mazarua” in the computerized land records of the registry office due to the carelessness of the block 0circle officers and their revenue clerks entrusted with task of providing the nature of land details falling under the 14 blocks of the district to the sub-registrar.
Sub-registrar Jainuddin Ansari said that owing to this man-made error, many genuine land owners are unable to register their land to prospective buyers contributing to the shrinkage in revenue to the state coffers. He added that November to February being the peak marriage months this year which entailed maximum selling of land by land owners to meet marriage expenses, faulty categorization of land has impacted registration and subsequent loss in revenue.
Nawada DM-cum-registrar, Manoj Kumar, who was apprised by the sub-registrar of the situation arising due to incorrect data provided by the respective block circle officers (CO), has asked the district land acquisition officer to rectify the mistake in individual cases to get the land registered. But no exercise to revise the entire land record in bulk has been undertaken.
Shortage of hard cash due to demonetization as well as fear of being nabbed by the income tax authorities, the black money holders in the real estate business are wary of purchasing land leading to the severe shortfall in revenue collection. The revenue from real estate contributes highest to the state exchequer followed by sales tax. The third largest contributor, the excise department, no longer contributes ever since the state government enforced prohibition in April, 2016.