Eluru District Collector K. Vetriselvi distributing new pattadar passbooks to farmers at Gudigunta village of Denduluru mandal in Eluru district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday launched the distribution of new pattadar passbooks bearing the State Emblem.
Calling it a New Year gift to farmers, he said the government has fulfilled another key promise made in the run-up to the 2024 elections.
The Chief Minister, who is abroad, conducted a statewide review of the pattadar passbook distribution programme through a teleconference with Ministers. Revenue Minister Anagani Satyaprasad briefed Mr. Naidu about the progress of the initiative.
As part of the programme, 22 lakh new pattadar passbooks are being distributed in villages where the re-survey process has been completed.
The distribution will continue from January 2 to January 9, with MLAs and Ministers handing over the pattadar passbooks to beneficiaries in villages.
The coalition government decided to issue new pattadar passbooks after correcting errors that occurred during the previous government’s re-survey exercise.
The earlier distribution of land documents carrying photographs of the then Chief Minister had drawn widespread public criticism and led to dissatisfaction among landowners due to numerous disputes and inaccuracies.
Replacing those documents, the new pattadar passbooks carry the State Emblem, a move that has been welcomed by farmers. The passbooks bearing political imagery have been replaced with official documents reflecting institutional authority, they said.
Addressing the Ministers during the teleconference, the Chief Minister said the new pattadar passbooks were a symbol of the government’s commitment to farmer welfare.
“The distribution of pattadar passbooks with the State Emblem is our New Year gift to farmers. We are delivering exactly what we promised during the elections,” Mr. Naidu said.
He criticised the previous government for creating revenue-related problems in almost every village due to flawed policies and an unscientific re-survey process.
“Even undisputed lands were unnecessarily made contentious in the name of re-survey. Our objective is to ensure that farmers do not suffer from land-related issues,” the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Naidu pointed out that the government had repealed the Land Titling Act, which had caused insecurity among landowners, thereby restoring public confidence.
He also alleged that nearly ₹22 crore of public money was spent earlier merely to print photographs of political leaders on passbooks, calling it an avoidable and unjustified expense.
Stressing accountability, the Chief Minister said resolving land disputes and ensuring clear ownership rights should be the government’s primary duty. “Ministers and District Collectors must take responsibility and work with a clear timeline to eliminate land disputes,” he said.
Published – January 03, 2026 03:23 am IST
