Doda – Villagers in Tehsil Thathri, Doda district, are raising concerns over being charged urban rates for essential revenue services despite their rural status. Residents from villages including Tipri, Badanoo, Zenhari, Chibba, Ghunti, Lopa, Drobri, and others allege that the Revenue Department has failed to differentiate between urban and rural areas on its official Jansugam portal, leading to inflated fees that they claim are disproportionate to their modest incomes.
The Chenab Times spoke to locals, who highlighted several instances of this issue. Mohd Zubair, a representative of Tipri village, shared, “We are being charged the same rates as residents in urban municipalities, even though we live in rural areas where the fees are supposed to be significantly lower. This oversight is causing financial strain on villagers who rely primarily on agriculture.”
Inflated Fees: A Growing Concern
The lack of bifurcation between Thathri (Urban) and Thathri (Rural) on the Jansugam portal has resulted in residents paying rates applicable to urban municipalities for services such as Mutations, Girdawari (land records), and Sale deed registrations.
For instance:
- A resident from Tipri village reported paying Rs 1,000 online for the Attestation of Mutations, excluding the charges applied by intermediaries. The correct fee for rural areas is only Rs 100.
- Similarly, a resident from Bhandekhara village paid Rs 500 online for an Extract of Jamabandi, while the village fee is also Rs 100.
In addition to these inflated fees, villagers are burdened by additional charges imposed by local shopkeepers for applying online and printing documents. These charges are unavoidable, as shopkeepers are authorized to provide these services, and the rate for these charges is set by the Revenue Department.
The Root Cause: A Technical Oversight
At the heart of the issue lies an administrative lapse by the Revenue Department. The department has not classified the Thathri tehsil into its urban and rural components on the Jansugam portal. Currently, Thathri is listed as a single entity, and municipality rates are uniformly applied to all its areas, irrespective of their rural or urban classification.
Proposed Solution
Villagers argue that a simple bifurcation of Thathri into Thathri (Urban) and Thathri (Rural) on the Jansugam portal could resolve the issue. Once bifurcated, rural areas would be eligible for the lower village fee structure, while urban areas would continue to follow municipality rates. This differentiation is already practiced in other parts of Jammu and Kashmir and would provide much-needed financial relief to rural residents of Thathri.
“Villagers should not have to bear the burden of higher fees simply because of a technical oversight,” Mohd Zubair said. “We urge the Revenue Department to take immediate action and fix this disparity.”
Economic Impact on Villagers
The Chenab Times found that the inflated fees are placing a significant strain on villagers, many of whom are from economically modest backgrounds and rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Paying ten times the actual fee for basic services such as Mutations and Jamabandi Extracts is particularly burdensome in a region where rural incomes are already limited.
Authorities Urged to Act
The resolution of this issue requires immediate attention from the Revenue Department of Jammu and Kashmir. Villagers have submitted formal representations to the authorities, requesting the bifurcation of Thathri on the Jansugam portal and the application of appropriate fee structures.
For now, rural residents of Thathri tehsil await a solution that will address their grievances and ensure fair treatment in line with the socio-economic realities of their communities.
The Chenab Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as the situation develops.
❤️ Support Independent Journalism
Your contribution keeps our reporting free, fearless, and accessible to everyone.
Or make a one-time donation
Secure via Razorpay • 12 monthly payments • Cancel anytime before next cycle
(We don't allow anyone to copy content. For Copyright or Use of Content related questions, visit here.)
Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
