ASSIGNMENT OF GOVT.

LANDS

B. Venkateswara Rao
District Revenue Officer (Retd.)

AMR - APARD

ASSIGNMENT OF GOVT. LANDS

History and Evolution of the Erstwhile Board of Revenue :

It is a very ancient institution in the Revenue Administration of

the Presidency of Madras which had its origin on 20 th June,
1786, with the sanction of the Court of Directors of the East
India Company.

The functions exercised by the Board were like Land Revenue

Administration, collection of Revenue from Ryotwari, Zamindari
Estates,

Inams,

Religious

and

Charitable

Endowments,

Stamps, Forest Abkari Revenue, superintendence and control

of all kinds of Irrigation Canals, Tanks etc., and all other works
now being attended to by PWD. By Regulation V of 1804, it
was constituted by Court of Wards.
powerful body in the administration.

It thus became a very

After the formation of State of Andhra Pradesh, the Government

acting under Section 122 of the States Reorganisation Act issued
G.O.Ms.No.1270, Revenue Department dated.3-7-1957 specifying
among other things, the Board of Revenue, functioning in Andhra
area immediately before 1-11-1956 as the competent authority to
exercise functions exercisable under the Hyderabad Board of
Revenue Regulations of 1358 Fasali. Thus the Unified Board of
Revenue functioned for the entire State from 1-11-1956 till the
replacement of Unified Board of Revenue by Commissioners vide
A.P. Board of Revenue (Replacement by Commissioners) Act, 1977.
Thereafter the Commissioners are appointed in the place of
Revenue Board Members.

The Board Standing Orders were formulated by composite Madras

Revenue Board in the year 1878.

Altogether 213 Board Standing Orders on different issues mainly

Land Administration and related matters have been formulated, of
which 55 Board Standing Orders have been deleted from time to
time as they have become irrelevant.

In

the

Telangana

Area,

the

supervision

over

the

District

Administration was in the hands of four Regional Commissioners

called Subedars until 1949, when under the Hyderabad Board of
Revenue Regulation 1358 Fasali (1949).

The Board was

constituted by Court of Wards and also vested with appellate and

review powers which till then were being exercised by the
Government in the Revenue Department.

The Board was

empowered to exercise powers of superintendence, direction and

control over all the authorities in relation to Land Revenue, Excise,
Customs, Registration and Stamps etc.,

CERTAIN LAND ACTS

Assignment Procedure in general:

Assignment of Govt. land means grant of land at the disposal of

Government to individuals / institutions and firms either on
payment of market value or free of cost.

B.S.O.No. 15 governs assignment of Govt. lands in Andhra

Area.

Section 54, 54-A, 58-A and 58-B in Chapter V of the A.P

(Telangna Area) Land Revenue Act 1317 and the Rules made
there under are the statutory provisions relating to assignment
of Ghoda lands in Telangana Area.

Following orders spell out the original assignment policy:

- G.O.Ms.No. 1406 Revenue Dept., dated.25-07-1958.
- G.O.Ms.No. 1407 Revenue Dept., dated.25-07-1958.

Land at disposal of Government to be assigned free of cost only

to landless poor persons who owns less than 2

1/2

acres of wet

land or 5 acres of dry land maximum extent of land that can be

assigned is 2 1/2 acres of wet or 5 acres of dry land.

Land prima facie available for assignment (BSO 15-2).

Assessed land which is not reserved.

Un assessed land which is not reserved.

Land prima facie not available for assignment (BSO 15-2)

Porambokes

Rules issued vide G.O.Ms.No.1406 dt.25-07-1958.

Reserved land (Assessed and unassessed).

Categories of lands prohibited from assignment.

 Tank beds, foreshore of tank beds, cattle stands, burial grounds,

grazing grounds, lands reserved for any public purpose, lands in
the vicinity of reserve forest lands, water course porumboku
lands within Cantonment limits, lands reserved under Section 26
of the Forest Act, lands within port limits, lands vested with
Ministry of Railways, Aerodroms, lands containing minerals,
quarries etc., lands in Towns, Cities, District Head Quarters,
Municipalities (BSO 15-4 Para 1 of G.O.Ms.No.1406 dated.
25-07-1958).

Requisites:

Application from the individual concerned to be entered in

Darkhast Register.

Land applied for to be verified whether it is prima facie available

and eligible.

A1 notice calling for objections to be published.

After publication of A1 Notice, A Memorandum to be

prepared by the MRI and sent to MRO in duplicate with A1
Notice and a sketch.

Resolution of the Grama Panchayat.

Sub division records to be prepared in case part survey

numbers are involved.

In case of porumboku lands

Ayan conversion proposals to be sent to RDO/SC concerned.

General conditions of Assignments:

Lands assigned shall be heritable but not alienable.

Lands assigned shall be brought under cultivation within three

years.

Cultivation should be by the assignee or members of his family or

with hired labour under their supervision. (BSO 15 Para 12/3)
(Para 6 of G.O.Ms.No.1406 dated.25-07-1958).

Competence:

Mandal Revenue Officer concerned is the competent authority for

assignment subject to approval by the Assignment Review
Committee constituted in G.O.Ms.No.443 Revenue (L.Ref)
Department

dated.19-09-1995

read

with

G.O.Ms.No.590

Revenue (L.Ref) Department dated.18-11-1995 (BSO 15 Para 3 :

Para 14 of G.O.Ms.No.1406 dated.25-07-1958).

Appeals:

From every original decision of assignment of the MRO., appeal

lies within 30 days to the Divisional Officer, similarly appeal lies to
the Collector against the orders of RDO and within 40 days from
the date of decision of the Collector to the CCLA.

A revision to the Collector against the orders of RDO in appeals is

also allowed. But at any time the Collector may pass orders on
revision in case of fraud or misrepresentation.

Revision lies to the Government also.

All Appeals should be stamped with Court Fee label of Rs.5/-.

The above position shall apply also to the orders relating to

resumption.