TRACING THE ROOTS OF LAND RECORDS:BOOK REVIEW By VJM Divakar,

 TRACING THE ROOTS OF LAND RECORDS

The Latest book by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

is of immense educative value

BOOK REVIEW By

VJM Divakar, Senior Journalist

Telangana District and Land Administration at A Glance

(Published by Adugujaadalu: 252 Pages, Rs 350)

This is the compilation of articles written by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao over the period on several platforms, his regular columns in daily newspapers, his personal Blog, the media releases he prepared as Chief Public Relations Officer to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Jwala Narasimha Rao has picked and chosen articles from his vast repertoire of writings. This will be one reference book for the students, teachers, scholars of the public administration and political science especially for those who want to study the District and Land Administration in the Telangana region from the ancient times, through the Nizam period to till date.

As Jwala Narasimha Rao himself stated in his Prologue and Acknowledgements, “This book has more than 40 articles deals among others with creation of new and small districts in Telangana, evolution of district administration, the changing role of Collector in the changed scenario, the survey settlements aspects of lands, rectification and updation of land records, municipal and Panchayat Raj Acts, urban policy, need for training of civil servants, citizen centric government etc.”

This book is a humble attempt to cover all aspects of the district and land administration. While doing so, Jwala made a sincere effort to trace the roots of Land records in the region and wonderfully presented the reforms evolution in a lucid manner, which even a common reader, can understand. He also dealt at length about the importance of creating new and small districts and their significance. He also argued how creation of new and smaller districts help the governance to reach to the door step of people and how it provided an opportunity for the young IAS officers to work as Collectors. He also traced the evolution of district administration since Independence.

On the Land records administration, Jwala Narasimha Rao records the early land reforms that took place in ancient India to the British regime, the Nizam period to the present. He explains at length various terms, methodology, policies connected with the land records, documents. Since as CPRO, he has ringside view of the discussions that CM KCR had on the subject, Jwala Narasimha Rao at appropriate places mentions about these discussions, reviews, observations made by the CM which very well fitted in the narrative.

Jwala Narasimha Rao also traces the saga of land reforms from PV to KCR and goes on to prove that Land Records Updation is, indeed, the heart of good governance. He discusses at length on the changing role of Collectors in the changed scenario. He explains to the last detail about the New Revenue Act, Municipal Act and how they usher in a new dawn in Telangana State for the large welfare of the people and for their development.

Among all the important chapters in the book, the most interesting is about the Gramayanam. Jwala Narasimha Rao refers to a small Monograph on Gramayanam written by Prof Maramraj Satyanarayana Rao, former Registrar of the Dr BR Ambedkar Open University. It is very interesting to read. As a former Faculty member of the Dr MCR HRD Institute, Jwala Narasimha Rao highlights the need to train public servants on a regular basis in tune with the fast changing environment in the administration. He argues for more citizen centric governance. He also wrote about the much-talked Dharani Portal for registration of properties in a transparent way, the robust state’s economy and how effectively the government schemes, policies and programme should be implemented.

To put it in TSPSC Chairman Prof Ghanta Chakrapani words, which he wrote in his preface to the book, “The vision and farsightedness of the Telangana State administration in introducing administrative reforms is very systematically captured by Sri Jwala Narasimha Rao in his book.”

Senior IAS officer and Secretary to Chief Minister Telangana and Secretary Revenue, V Seshadri says that this book is of immense educative value and can serve as a reference material for all the administrators, academicians, and research scholars.

Another senior IAS officer BP Acharya says that his book is a valuable addition to the literature on contemporary politics and policy making in Telangana. In her introductory Note Dr Pallavi Kabde, Head dept of Public Administration, DR BRAOU, says this book will be of great use to teachers of public administration.

Former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subba Rao says that everyone interested in land and district administration will find reading this book an engaging and rewarding experience.