Former Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the effective implementation of the Land Titling Act across the country. In his letter, he emphasized that land reforms are crucial for India’s economic development and requested that the issue be treated as a matter of national priority.
He praised the Prime Minister’s leadership, citing the Bhagavad Gita verse “Karmanye vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana,” and stated that Mr. Modi’s governance would be remembered in golden letters in history. He described the Prime Minister’s rise as a global leader as a matter of pride for the nation.
Dharmana highlighted flagship initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat, and Make in India, noting that they aim to transform India into a $30 trillion economy. He also appreciated the reimagining of “First Develop India (FDI)”, which reflects the Prime Minister’s vision for attracting investments.
Referring to the SVAMITVA scheme launched on April 24, 2020, he called it a historic initiative, mentioning that with a budget of ₹566.23 crore, 2.42 crore property cards were distributed across 1.61 lakh villages, and drone surveys were completed in 3.20 lakh villages. He noted that modernization of land records has played a key role in reducing land disputes.
He explained that recognizing the need to reduce disputes and encourage domestic and foreign investment, the Central Government, through NITI Aayog, prepared a draft Land Titling Bill and circulated it to states, encouraging a shift from presumptive ownership to a conclusive title system.
Aligned with this vision, when YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh implemented the AP Land Titling Act, 2023 (Act 27 of 2023) on October 31, 2023. However, Dharmana expressed concern that the present government led by N. Chandrababu Naidu repealed the Act in 2024, ignoring the need for such progressive legislation despite India’s lower ranking in land-related indicators of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business surveys.
He pointed out that only 12 states have so far shown readiness to enact the NITI Aayog–recommended draft law, and stressed that all states should adopt a Torrens system, where the government guarantees property titles.
In this context, Dharmana requested the Prime Minister to convene a meeting with Chief Ministers to review the implementation of the Land Titling Act or to place the issue for discussion at an appropriate national forum. He urged that the Act be recognized as a matter of national importance in India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation and the world’s third-largest economy.
He concluded by stating that truly supporting the Prime Minister’s global leadership vision means ensuring the nationwide implementation of the Land Titling Act.
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