Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 9: In a major initiative to strengthen land rights for tribal communities, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced a statewide, time-bound campaign to grant full legal ownership rights to tribal families cultivating forest land but lacking formal titles or holding incomplete land rights.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the statewide drive will be held from September 17 to October 2, 2026, beginning on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and concluding on Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti.
Bawankule said many tribal farmers cultivate larger parcels of land but hold titles covering only a fraction of their actual holdings, such as half an acre or 1.1 acres, while others continue to cultivate forest land without any formal rights.
The campaign aims to settle all pending claims and issue official title certificates, or Adhikarkatras.
Village Level Forest Rights Committees will meet for three consecutive days from September 17 to 19 to review and approve claims of tribal farmers holding unrecorded or partially recorded forest land.
Special Gram Sabhas will then be convened from September 30 to October 2 to provide community approval to claims cleared by the village-level committees.
Following Gram Sabha approval, proposals will be forwarded to the Sub-Divisional and District Level Forest Rights Committees for final sanction within fixed deadlines.
Once forest titles are sanctioned, eligible tribal farmers will be issued new Property Cards, 7/12 extracts and Form No. 12. Those who already possess forest titles will be provided with Form 6 to 12 extracts, the minister said.
"No eligible tribal farmer cultivating land in the state will be left without a Property Card or 7/12 extract," Bawankule affirmed.
He said clear instructions had been issued to ensure that no eligible tribal farmer is denied land rights because of administrative or technical errors in records.
Through close coordination between the Revenue and Forest Departments, verified names, survey numbers and exact land measurements will be reconciled to issue official titles under the 7-E/12-E format, Bawankule said.
District Collectors will personally monitor the implementation of the campaign, while Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) will conduct regular reviews. Tehsildars and field staff will have direct operational responsibility for completing assigned tasks within the specified timelines.
MahaBhumi Stack launched
Meanwhile, in a major policy initiative aimed at boosting investment and economic development, the Maharashtra government has launched the integrated digital platform MahaBhumi Stack.
The platform has been designed as a unified gateway for land buying, selling and administrative operations, bringing previously fragmented land-related services together under a single portal.
Bawankule said the single-window platform integrates scattered land services across 10 major categories.
He described the initiative as a significant milestone for the Revenue Department in advancing the government's vision of 'Ease of Living' and 'Ease of Doing Business'.
The integrated platform is expected to eliminate procedural hurdles, reduce fraudulent practices and streamline transaction workflows, providing relief to farmers and landowners across the state, the minister said.