KURUKSHETRA | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK

Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena said the Haryana Government has extended the deadline for applications seeking regularisation and sale of land related to residential houses constructed on Gram Panchayat shamlat land. Eligible residential houses measuring up to 500 square yards and constructed on or before March 31, 2004, can now be covered under the process, with the final date for submitting applications extended to January 16, 2027.

The Deputy Commissioner said eligible applicants will be able to submit their applications online through the Samadhan Online Portal. The extension is aimed at providing relief to eligible residents who could not complete the application process within the earlier prescribed period because of procedural and administrative difficulties.

According to the revised directions issued by the Haryana Development and Panchayats Department, eligible applicants can now submit their applications through the online portal within the extended deadline. The move is expected to benefit a large number of residents who meet the prescribed eligibility conditions for regularisation of residential houses constructed on village common land.

Meena said the online process has also been designed to improve transparency and provide applicants with information about the progress of their cases without requiring them to repeatedly visit government offices.

Under the revised mechanism, applicants will receive information through SMS regarding important stages of the application process. This will include the forwarding of cases by the concerned Gram Secretary, proceedings of the Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha, recommendations of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer and subsequent action at the Deputy Commissioner level.

The Deputy Commissioner said the system would make the process more transparent, accountable and convenient for citizens. Applicants would be able to track the progress of their cases through the prescribed online mechanism and receive updates regarding the movement of their applications.

He said the government has also taken steps to accelerate the disposal of pending cases. For this purpose, amendments have been made to the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961, under which the power to grant final approval in eligible cases has been assigned to the concerned Deputy Commissioner.

According to Meena, the delegation of final approval powers at the district level is intended to ensure faster disposal of eligible cases and provide timely relief to applicants. He said the measure would reduce unnecessary procedural delays and make the system more responsive to the needs of citizens.

The Deputy Commissioner clarified that all new and pending cases will now be processed only through the Samadhan Online Portal. No offline or physical application will be accepted under the revised procedure.

He said applicants who had already submitted physical applications will also be required to ensure that all necessary documents and relevant records are uploaded on the Samadhan Portal before further processing of their cases.

This will include the required documents as well as resolutions or proceedings of the concerned Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha, wherever applicable. The online submission of these documents will enable the authorities to process cases through a uniform mechanism.

Meena said the Samadhan Online Portal has been developed by the Development and Panchayats Department with the objective of providing citizens with a simpler, more transparent and time-bound service. The portal allows applicants to submit applications and upload supporting documents from their homes.

The Deputy Commissioner said that many eligible residents had previously been unable to submit their applications within the prescribed period due to genuine practical and procedural difficulties. In several cases, delays in obtaining demarcation reports, availability of required documents and completion of other administrative formalities had affected the ability of eligible applicants to complete the process on time.

He said the government had taken these difficulties into consideration while reviewing the application process. A large number of eligible residents were reportedly unable to proceed with their applications because certain documents or reports could not be obtained within the earlier time limit.

In view of these circumstances, the government has amended Rule 15-B and decided to extend the application period by one year. The revised deadline now gives eligible applicants additional time to complete the process and submit the required documents through the online portal.

Meena urged all eligible residents who fall within the prescribed conditions to use the extended period and complete their applications within the stipulated deadline. He advised applicants to keep all required documents ready before submitting their applications online to avoid unnecessary delays.

The Deputy Commissioner also stressed that applicants should carefully provide correct information and upload complete documentation through the prescribed portal. Since physical applications will not be accepted, residents should ensure that their cases are submitted through the online system.

The move is significant for residents whose residential houses were constructed on Gram Panchayat shamlat land within the eligibility period and whose cases could not be processed earlier due to procedural difficulties.

The administration is also expected to benefit from the digital system as it will provide a centralised mechanism for receiving, processing and monitoring applications. The involvement of different levels of the Panchayati Raj administration will be digitally recorded, while applicants will receive updates regarding the status of their cases.

Meena said the government’s decision is intended to combine citizen convenience, transparency and speedy disposal. By shifting the complete process to the Samadhan Portal, the authorities aim to reduce paperwork, minimise repeated visits to offices and provide applicants with greater clarity regarding the status of their applications.

He reiterated that only those cases meeting the conditions prescribed by the government would be considered for regularisation or related land-sale proceedings. Applicants will therefore be required to provide the necessary documents and comply with the applicable rules and procedures.

The extension of the deadline to January 16, 2027, provides eligible citizens with additional time to complete formalities that may previously have remained pending because of demarcation, documentation or other administrative issues.

The Deputy Commissioner appealed to eligible residents to make use of the extended opportunity and submit their applications well before the final deadline rather than waiting until the last date. He said timely submission with complete documents would help the authorities process cases more efficiently.

He also emphasised that the administration remains committed to providing public services in a transparent and time-bound manner. The digital application system, he said, is an important step towards reducing procedural difficulties and ensuring that eligible citizens can access government services without unnecessary inconvenience.

The revised process is expected to bring greater clarity to the handling of both new and pending cases involving eligible residential houses on Gram Panchayat shamlat land. With the final approval authority placed at the Deputy Commissioner level and applications being routed through the Samadhan Portal, the government aims to speed up decision-making while maintaining the prescribed legal and administrative safeguards.

POD/DESK