Govt proposes, officials dispose: Tahsildar offices across district mired in corruption

Serious allegations have emerged against several tahsildars across various mandals in Jogulamba Gadwal district, with farmers and local residents accusing revenue officials of deliberately delaying land-related services, demanding bribes, and creating hurdles through middlemen. The complaints highlight a deepening crisis in grassroots administration, especially concerning land dispute resolution.

According to local activists and affected farmers, tahsildars are failing to resolve land issues within the mandatory 15-day period after a formal application is submitted. Instead, applicants—mostly poor farmers—are being made to visit the offices repeatedly without any progress.

Farmers allege that tahsildars are ignoring genuine cases while prioritising the requests of influential individuals, including political leaders, wealthy intermediaries, and those capable of paying bribes. As a result, ordinary citizens are left helpless, forced to run from office to office with no relief.

A major concern raised is the increasing involvement of middlemen—locally known as “pairavi karulu”—who are reportedly operate near tahsildar offices. These intermediaries allegedly collaborate with officials to intentionally complicate land issues and then demand money to "resolve" them.

Farmers claim that unless bribes ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 are paid even for simple record-related services such as issuing land record copies, no work progresses inside the offices. More complex issues often require significantly higher amounts.

Residents argue that many tahsildars give preferential treatment to individuals with political backing. Local leaders who bring influence or financial power reportedly get their land issues solved immediately, while common citisens wait endlessly.

This has created a perception that revenue offices are functioning not as public service institutions but as centres of corruption and selective access.

Despite attending the district’s Prajavani grievance programmes, many complainants say their problems remain unresolved.

They report that tahsildars fail to inspect records or file reports within the stipulated time, rendering the grievance system ineffective.

Local groups claim issues persist because higher authorities, public representatives, and even the government have not taken strict action against errant tahsildars.

Residents state that the system has become so corrupted that farmers are being indirectly pressured into paying bribes just to get their rightful issues addressed. The poor, unaware of land laws, are particularly vulnerable to exploitation by revenue officials and middlemen.

Activists from Bheem Army, Jogulamba Gadwal district, have demanded:

-Immediate and transparent resolution of all pending land issues

-Strict disciplinary action against corrupt tahsildars and revenue staff.

-Removal of unauthorised agents operating around revenue offices

-Enforcement of land laws and verification of records without bias

-Accountability from senior officers and elected representatives

They urge the government to intervene urgently to restore fairness, transparency, and trust in the district’s revenue administration.