Bribery in village offices; specific rates for each need, bribes collected like service fee

• Bribes being collected like fees
• Suresh Kumar is in remand

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The revenue department has become a tent of corruption to subvert government policies. In many village offices, not a single file is moved without paying a bribe. Most of the bribery is related to land reclassification, pattayam, possession, deed copy and location certificate.

The Right to Service Act has been in force since 2012. The time frame for service is 3 to 15 days. Officials have to pay a fine of Rs 500 for every day of delay, but the law is not enforced anywhere. Last day, 1.05 crore rupees was seized from Palakkad Palakkayam Village Field Assistant Suresh Kumar. He has been suspended by the District Collector pending investigation. The Thrissur Vigilance Court remanded him for 14 days.

In northern districts, employees collect bribes of 2000 to 3000 rupees just like collecting a fee. Retired persons, middlemen, and complaint writers are the links in this. Seven revenue officials have been arrested in 23 trap operations conducted by vigilance till yesterday. Those who took bribes from Rs 1000 to three-quarter lakhs have been caught.

Setting the stage for bribery

▪︎ Government's decision to make all services online in 1666 village offices was not implemented. Applicants will be bothered by being forced to come to the office several times and called in without reason

▪︎Complainants will be approached through agents or directly.

Rate up to 2 lakhs

▪︎Pattayam without proper document............2,00,000

▪︎Reclassification of land.........................................25,000

▪︎Soil removal..............................................................25,000

▪︎Ownership.................................................................10,000

▪︎Income Certificate.................................................. 10,000

▪︎Measurement of Land...............................................5000

▪︎Deed copy.....................................................................2000

▪︎Location Certificate....................................................2000

▪︎Certificate of Ownership..........................................2000

▪︎Land Mutation Certificate........................................1000

Collecting bribes by traveling in an auto

MANNARKAD / PALAKKAD: Suresh Kumar, who worked in various village offices in the Mannarkad region for two decades, used to collect bribes by traveling in an auto rickshaw. The auto driver disclosed that he asked for Rs 700 from the first house in Irumbakachola and Rs 800-1000 from the houses he entered later.

Apart from money, about 10 new unopened shirts, mundus, sacked kudampuli, 10 liters of honey, crackers, bunches of pens and underwear were also recovered from Suresh's room.

"An internal inquiry will be conducted into the Palakkad incident. Village assistants and field assistants who have completed three years at the same place will be transferred."

-K Rajan

Minister of Revenue

"If services are made online, corruption will be reduced."

-Manoj Abraham

Head of Vigilance