HYDERABAD: A State official team will shortly visit Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat and West Bengal to study the functioning of Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments at village level in those states for possible replication in Andhra Pradesh.

A decision to this effect has been taken by the Government and the proposal offered to the Andhra Pradesh Revenue Services Association (APRSA), which is leading the agitation with the main demand for appointment of revenue secretaries at village level. The team will consist of one official each from the Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments, and one representative each from APRSA and the AP Panchayat Raj Services Association.

As the boycott of the ration-card distribution and other works by the revenue staff entered its second day on Wednesday, Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao gave an in-principle clearance to re-designation of mandal revenue officer (MRO) as "tehsildar" as sought by the APRSA.

Protocol duties

The Minister said a committee would be formed to examine the service- related matters raised by the APRSA. It would be headed by the Revenue secretary and comprise officials, one each from the Officer of the Chief Commissioner, Land Administration and the Finance and General Administration departments.

In reference to the MROs being "overburdened" with protocol duties, Mr. Prasada Rao said efforts were already on to provide budget for this purpose. Provision would be made for expenditure on dress allowance for attenders and drivers too.

NGO posts

The Minister said that demand for increasing the quota for revenue employees from 75 per cent to 80 per cent in filling non-gazetted posts in the Civil Supplies Department and for earmarking 30 per cent in respect of gazetted posts, would be considered.

Meanwhile, APRSA president K. Lakshmaiah announced that the revenue staff would also boycott the work relating to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme being launched from February 2 in the State.

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