Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda performed the Bhoomi Puja for the construction of the new Prajasoudha Taluk Administration Building at a cost of Rs. 8.60 crore near the Polytechnic College in Kushalnagar on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the Darkhas Podi Abhiyan has been launched across the state, under which government-sanctioned lands are being surveyed as per Annexure-1. The Minister stated that officials are collecting and rectifying information by visiting households directly.
In Kodagu district, 2,344 cases have been taken up under the Darkhas Podi Abhiyan, out of which more than 1,500 files have been disposed of. Across the state, around 42 lakh land records are still in the names of deceased persons, which have now been identified. Under this initiative, new land accounts are being created in the names of the rightful family members by reaching out to farmers at their doorsteps, the Minister said.
He further informed that under the land security scheme, steps have been initiated to prevent the loss or misplacement of land files. The process of scanning original records is underway. About 50 crore pages of land documents have already been digitized across the state, while another 50 crore pages remain pending. Once complete, all land records will be available online and accessible through mobile platforms, he said.
The Minister also noted that laptops have been distributed to Village Accountants and Revenue Inspectors, and that e-office facilities are being implemented to promote a paperless administrative system. He emphasized that accountability and transparency must prevail in the department, ensuring the public is not inconvenienced.
Krishna Byre Gowda informed that the disposal of long-pending files has been expedited. Of the 10,774 cases in Tahsildar courts, only 510 remain pending. Similarly, in Sub-Divisional Officer courts, 59,335 applications were awaiting disposal, which has now been reduced to 12,249. In the last five years, 32,787 cases were filed, and currently, only 3,974 applications are pending, which will be resolved within three months, he added.
The Minister stated that Rs. 50 crore has been released for landslide prevention works, and an additional Rs. 10 crore will soon be released. Tahsildars have been appointed for all five taluks of Kodagu, and administrative and survey staff have been deployed to strengthen the district’s governance. The upcoming Prajasoudha will house key offices including the Tahsildar’s Office, Land Records Office, Deputy Registrar’s Office, and Treasury, among others.
He lauded the efforts of both Kodagu MLAs for actively highlighting and ensuring implementation of development works in the district.
MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, speaking on the occasion, said that the Bhoomi Puja marks a significant milestone in Kushalnagar’s development. He informed that the construction of the KSRTC depot is underway and that Rs. 46 crore has been sanctioned for the new Taluk Hospital, with work to commence soon.
Dr. Mantar Gowda expressed gratitude to Higher Education Minister Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan Sudhakar for providing land free of cost for the Prajasoudha construction. He urged officials to serve the public with dedication and resolve the challenges faced in the Revenue Department. He also called for expediting compensation under C and D category lands, land repair works, and digitization processes, while ensuring there are no middlemen in government offices.
He instructed that the construction of the Prajasoudha building be completed within a year and said preparations should begin for establishing the Kushalnagar Taluk.
Nagendra Babu, President of the Bar Association, suggested the establishment of a Sub-Divisional Office, a Taluk Stadium, and a Deputy Registrar’s Office in Kushalnagar. V. P. Shashidhar, President of the Taluk Unit of the Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee, said that Kushalnagar becoming a Taluk headquarters is the result of over two decades of persistent efforts, now being realized through the construction of the Prajasoudha.
District-level officials including Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee President Teethira Dharmaja Uthappa, Kushalnagar Planning Authority Chairman Pramod Muttappa, Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, Zilla Panchayat CEO Anand Prakash Meena, Additional DC R. Aishwarya, Assistant Commissioner Nitin Chakki, Tahsildar Kiran G. Gouraiah, former GP President K. P. Chandrakala, and Deputy Director of Land Records Niranjan were present.
The event concluded with prayers led by U. R. Nagesh and Ravi.
