House Passes Farmland Conversion Bill | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: The assembly on Tuesday passed the 2020 Telangana Conversion of Agricultural Land to Non-Agricultural Land Bill. The bill removes the powers of tax officials under section 47 (A) of the current law.
Introducing the bill, Legislative Affairs Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy said the amendments were aimed at making the administration transparent and putting an end to irregularities. “I’m also a builder and a farmer, so I know the value of these amendments. The undervaluation of various plots of land by the authorities caused a loss of Rs 826 crore to the state government, ”he said.
Since 2016, the government has only earned Rs 263 crore due to the undervaluation by the tax authorities, the minister said. With the new bill, citizens can apply for the conversion of their agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes through the Dharani portal, he said. He also said the amendments would ensure better coordination between the panchayat raj, city administration and tax departments in identifying agricultural land used for non-agricultural purposes.
Once citizens have booked a slot on the Dharani portal, the relevant revenue division agent will call the applicant and complete the whole process including land conversion, online entry and issuance of tax. ‘a temporary electronic booklet allowing the use of land for non-agricultural purposes. A permanent book will be delivered to the applicant’s residence by mail.