By: Mohd Amin Mir

In the rugged and complex administrative landscape of Jammu & Kashmir, where land disputes, record ambiguities, and institutional inertia have long plagued rural governance, a silent yet substantial transformation is underway. Spearheading this change are two of the most diligent officers in the Union Territory administration: the Commissioner Secretary Revenue and the Financial Commissioner Revenue. Their unwavering commitment to streamlining revenue records and proactively addressing the long-pending issues of the Patwari fraternity has not only infused new life into grassroots governance but has also reaffirmed public trust in the revenue machinery.

A Legacy in Need of Renewal

For decades, the revenue department in Jammu & Kashmir, the backbone of rural administration, remained bogged down by outdated manual records, skeletal manpower, lack of digitization, and widespread dissatisfaction among frontline staff—especially the Patwaris and Girdawars. These officials, often caricatured and criticized, are in fact essential cogs in the functioning of land records, inheritance transfers, mutations, and tax assessments. Yet their legitimate demands for recognition, better infrastructure, job security, and modernization of tools went unheeded.

Against this backdrop, the initiative taken by the present Commissioner Secretary Revenue and the Financial Commissioner Revenue stands as a watershed moment. Their leadership has not only acknowledged but actively prioritized both the structural overhaul of the revenue record system and the human capital that sustains it.

Recognition of Patwaris: A Historic Shift in Tone and Policy

One of the most heartening developments has been the open recognition of Patwaris as frontline workers whose efforts directly shape land record accuracy, rural taxation, and dispute resolution. The Commissioner Secretary Revenue has frequently underscored the necessity of equipping Patwaris with modern tools, housing infrastructure, and digitization support, a stance that was long overdue.

The Financial Commissioner Revenue has gone a step further—recommending field inspections, interacting personally with revenue officials during district visits, and ensuring that grievances reach the right forums. For the first time, the Patwari fraternity is not merely being heard—they are being acted upon.

Several long-pending demands are now either under consideration........

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