DyCM scraps land survey project

Pawar’s decision has not gone down well with the revenue department. Taking up the matter with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan,Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat has said financial constraints could not be a reason to scrap the project.

“This is a requirement if we have to plan any project in future. The present land revenue records are a century old,” said Thorat,urging the CM to discuss the matter with the Centre.

Talking to The Indian Express,Thorat said: “For the year 2013-14,the requirement for the project,which has just begun,was Rs 50 crore. The total project cost is Rs 5,000 crore. It would be partly funded by Centre.”

He added: “The project could be planned in a phased manner over the next five to seven years. I am not in favour of scrapping of project.”

Though he conceded that a land survey across Maharashtra to ascertain the changes in the agricultural land and record it meticulously required heavy expenditure,Thorat said: “How can we ignore this when other states are going ahead (with such land surveys)?”

Sources in the CM’s Office said Chavan was upset with the finance ministry’s refusal to provide funds. Chavan had convened a series of meetings for the project.