Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday signalled that the Odisha govt may bring a new law for sharecroppers, acknowledging that absence of legal recognition has deprived them of access to various govt welfare schemes. Majhi also launched a WhatsApp chatbot integrating 11 key revenue services, allowing citizens to apply for services such as mutation, conversion of agricultural land, residence, caste, income, legal heir, OBC, SEBC, ST and guardianship certificates without visiting tehsil offices. Applications can be made through WhatsApp number 94372 92000.Speaking after inaugurating 57 new sub-registration offices and launching a WhatsApp chatbot for revenue services, Majhi said the revenue department should examine the issue and explore legislative measures. “Providing legal protection will safeguard the interests of both sharecroppers and landowners and enable cultivators to access govt benefits,” he said. The CM said the expansion of sub-registration offices was aimed at taking govt services closer to people. “With the latest inauguration, sub-registration offices are now operational in all 317 tehsils of the state, with an additional office functioning in Cuttack tehsil. Earlier, people often had to travel to district headquarters for land-related work,” he said. “The objective is that people should not come to the govt; the government should reach the people,” Majhi said, adding that coordination between tehsil and registration offices will ensure quicker post-registration mutation, enhance transparency and eliminate intermediaries. Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said opening sub-registration offices in all tehsils was a policy commitment. He said the move would reduce costs and inconvenience for the public, ensure timely registration of land documents and curb middlemen. The govt, he added, plans to enable WhatsApp-based complaint lodging in case of service delays.
