G.O. (Ms) No.34, Free House Site Patta for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Beneficiaries, 2021
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, issued G.O. (Ms) No.34 on 13 January 2021 to standardise conditional free house site pattas granted to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries and to update village, Taluk and Tamil Nilam records. It makes the conditional period 10 years in all cases, permits the land to be mortgaged for bank loans, and restricts any sale after that period to another Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe person.
What the government order covers
G.O. (Ms) No.34 of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, addresses free house sites assigned to eligible Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department or the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department. These sites include acquired land and unobjectionable poramboke land available for assignment.
The government found that many assignments had not been entered in Natham Adangal, Natham Chitta, Field Measurement Book records or Tamil Nilam. This caused problems identifying sites, establishing beneficiaries' title, obtaining bank loans and receiving housing scheme benefits.
Changes to records and patta conditions
G.O. (Ms) No.34 requires the following changes:
- Assignment documents, beneficiary lists, Field Measurement Book sketches and subdivision records must be sent to the relevant Taluk Office.
- Assigned house sites must be classified as Adi Dravidar Natham in village records and the Tamil Nilam database. Roads, streets, lanes and parks must be recorded according to their actual use.
- Earlier conditional periods of 20 or 30 years are corrected to a uniform period of 10 years.
- When the 10 year period has ended, an unconditional patta classified as Ryot, Manai must be issued to the beneficiary or legal heir.
- During the remaining conditional period, a conditional Ryot, Manai patta must state that sale or alienation is prohibited, but that the site may be mortgaged for bank loans.
- Future free house site pattas for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries will carry a 10 year condition.
- After 10 years, the beneficiary may sell only to another Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe person.
Survey and occupancy cases
G.O. (Ms) No.34 directs District Collectors to conduct a special survey and enumerate families living on assigned sites. Pattas may be updated for an original beneficiary, legal heir or family member occupying the property after a summary enquiry.
Where a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe family occupies an assigned site under a registered or unregistered sale document, the Revenue Divisional Officer or nominated Deputy Collector may regularise possession after enquiry. An Adi Dravidar family occupying an unassigned vacant site within the assigned Adi Dravidar Natham area may also receive patta after enquiry.
A beneficiary who has not built within one year receives three more years from 13 January 2021 to construct a house. The patta must not be cancelled immediately for non-construction. Vacant sites belonging to untraceable beneficiaries may be cancelled after enquiry and reassigned to eligible families.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Can a free house site beneficiary mortgage the land for a bank loan?
Yes. The patta and online chitta must clearly state that the house site can be mortgaged for bank loans, including during the conditional period.
Can a beneficiary sell the house site after 10 years?
Yes, but only to another Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe person. The land cannot be sold to anyone else.
What happens if an old patta has a 20 or 30 year restriction?
The conditional period is treated uniformly as 10 years. If that period has ended, an unconditional Ryot, Manai patta must be issued to the beneficiary or legal heir.
Will a patta be cancelled if the beneficiary has not built a house?
Not immediately. A beneficiary who had not constructed within the original one year period was given three additional years from 13 January 2021 to build.
