Hyderabad’s NALSAR University and Landesa/RDI have collaborated to train CRPs and paralegals to work on resolving land problems of tribal and poor.
Press Release, Hyderabad:
NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad in collaboration with Landesa/RDI, Hyderabad are conducting a three-day training programme for Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and paralegals working in various Land Centres established by NALSAR and Landesa/ RDI from December 18-20, 2015 at NALSAR University of Law, Justice City, Shameerpet, R.R. District.
The training programme is aimed at imparting legal training to enable CRPs and Paralegals to work on resolving land problems of the poor and tribal. Prof. (Dr.) V. Balakista Reddy, Registrar, NALSAR speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day training programme appreciated the remarkable work being done by the land centre teams which are becoming replicable models in resolving land problems. He further said that the work being done by the teams in the land centres has the potential for scaling up across Telangana and even other states and can help in resolving several land problems faced by rural communities.
Shri M.Suneel Kumar, State Director, Landesa/RDI speaking at the inaugural session highlighted that the efforts of Paralegals and CRPs in analyzing and field checking the land records. He said that these efforts were appreciated by Department of Land Resources and NITI Ayog saying that it is a best practice in updation of land records. The approach taken by land centres can help the Government of Telangana in updating the land records in the State in a big way.
Major land problems identified:
NALSAR and RDI have established the Sub-Division Level Land Center to effectively serve the needy and undertake a study to understand the land related legal needs of the poor and the tribal and bottlenecks in resolving the land disputes. In the 1st phase of the study 100 selected families with land problems were interviewed in five mandals spread across three revenue divisions.
Most of the land problems identified the team are pertaining to inaccuracies in land records and title deeds. Even generations after the land transfer/inheritance its not mutated in the name of actual owners. Just in three pilot villages, there more than 1000 land problems identified pertaining to only SC and ST families. Out of 413 SC and ST families, 217 families possess 1-2 acres land and most of them suffer from land problems. It is observed that each landowning SC/ST family is facing 4-6 land problems.