Amid growing public outrage over cash-for-land scams, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has unleashed a blistering attack on the syndicate of officials and brokers fleecing applicants for pattas. His order for ‘strictest action’ promises a thorough purge of this deep-rooted malaise in the revenue department.
The problem is acute in rural belts, where landless families eyeing government plots under various welfare schemes face extortion at every stage – from application to verification. A single patta can cost anywhere between Rs 10,000 to 50,000 in under-the-table payments, according to internal surveys.
Yogi Adityanath minced no words: ‘Such elements are enemies of the poor; they will be dealt with iron fists.’ He tasked principal secretaries with daily monitoring and introduced a dedicated anti-corruption helpline (1800-xxx-xxx) for anonymous complaints.
Key reforms include mandatory CCTV in tehsil offices, biometric authentication for approvals, and integration with Aadhaar for applicant verification. Non-compliant districts face funding cuts for rural development projects.
Building on successes like freeing 25,000 acres from mafia control, this drive aims to issue 2 lakh pattas within six months. Political analysts see it as a strategic outreach to consolidate support among OBCs and Dalits, key demographics in UP’s heartland. The message is clear: under Yogi, corruption meets its match.