The Maharashtra government has announced plans to expedite land ownership transfers for nearly 40,000 Bengali families in Gadchiroli who settled in the district after migrating from East Pakistan following the Partition. The move is aimed at resolving ownership issues that have remained pending for decades.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that the district collector has been directed to prepare proposals on a priority basis to grant official ownership rights to these families. According to government records, thousands of Bengali descendants have been residing on land without formal documentation, despite having cultivated and rebuilt their lives in the region for six decades.
The state government’s initiative comes as part of broader efforts to ensure welfare, transparency, and efficiency in land record management. Officials have indicated that drones will be deployed for land survey mapping across Gadchiroli. This technology is expected to improve accuracy in measurements and streamline documentation, particularly in areas where traditional surveying has been delayed due to staff shortages. To address manpower gaps, the government plans to engage private workers to complete land measurement exercises more quickly.
The proposed measures will also include a special Lok Adalat mechanism to settle revenue-related disputes. This platform aims to resolve cases involving ownership conflicts, encroachments, and record mismatches outside conventional court processes. Officials emphasized that the dual approach of technological intervention and dispute resolution is designed to expedite pending cases while maintaining fairness and transparency.
Bawankule highlighted the historical context of the initiative, noting that the Bengali families in Gadchiroli are descendants of refugees who relocated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) more than sixty years ago. Despite years of residence and contribution to the district’s development, many families have lacked formal land ownership documents. The new proposals are intended to rectify this long-standing issue and ensure that eligible residents receive official recognition for their property.
The state government’s focus on digitization and modernization of land records aligns with similar initiatives in other districts, aimed at creating transparent property documentation systems and reducing bureaucratic delays. By combining drone-based surveys with private workforce engagement and alternative dispute resolution methods, the government expects to significantly reduce the time required for ownership verification and transfer.
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