THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Revenue Department is planning a massive campaign to clear all pending applications in village and taluk offices.

The campaign, which would take the form of adalats involving top functionaries of the department, would be held in 1,569 village offices from January 2 to 12 and 63 taluk offices from January 16 to 21, Revenue Minister K.M. Mani told a news conference here on Wednesday.

Mr. Mani said the work plan for conduct of the adalats had been finalised at the District Collectors' conference here on Wednesday and that all applications pending till the date of the adalats would be cleared as part of the exercise.

These would include applications for certifications relating to caste, religion, non-creamy layer, income, location, possession, marriage and residence besides those for title deeds, property transaction and survey, he said.

The Revenue Minister said he would himself attend as many adalats as possible.

The Revenue Secretary, Land Revenue Commissioner, Deputy Land Revenue Commissioner, Additional Secretary, District Collectors, Deputy Collectors and other officials of the department would also be on hand to supervise and guide the adalats. The programme would become a success only if the people made use of it, the Minister added.

Mr. Mani said action would be initiated against officials who fail to implement the decision to hold the adalats and clear all pending applications. Officers who put in excellent performance would be rewarded appropriately.

Replying to questions, the Minister said the Revenue Department had achieved 44 per cent tax collection during the first half of the current financial year in spite of several adversities, including the impact of tsunami.

The coming two months would see the department initiating a special drive to collect more taxes and to get favourable decisions on all cases pending before the Kerala High Court. The Government also proposed to amend the Public Accountant Act to place greater responsibility on Government pleaders, he added. Mr. Mani put the total amount due by way of taxes at Rs.855 crores and said that of this Rs.508 crores did not involve any court case. Collection of this portion of the taxes was in different stages of execution, he said. Asked how much emphasis the department placed on computerisation, which could solve several of the front-end problems of the department, Mr. Mani said the entire revenue records of the State would be digitised this year. He said that all offices of the department would be computerised by early next year.

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