What are Dotted Lands?

Dotted lands are essentially disputed lands where there is a lack of clear ownership documentation.

• Typically, a dotted land is claimed by one or more individuals or even by the government’s Revenue Department.
• The term 'dotted lands' originated during the British era when local revenue officials would put dots on the ownership column during land surveys, indicating a dispute over ownership or lack of clear ownership.
• These dots in the resettlement register or land records register signify the disputed status of the land.
• Financial institutions, including banks, do not accept documents of dotted lands as collateral.

Causes of ownership disputes:

• There are several reasons for the emergence of ownership disputes:
  • Absence of clear wills by landowners to pass on the land to their heirs or children.
  • Multiple heirs laying claim to the same land.
  • Land claimed by the government but occupied by a private party.
• Some land records are more than 100 years old and are placed in the prohibited list of registers.
• The Andhra Pradesh state government has identified over 2,06,171 acres of dotted land and officials estimate the actual figure could be much higher.
• The district of Nellore has the highest number of dotted land parcels (43,000 acres), followed by the Prakasam district (37,000 acres).

Advantages of De-listing Dotted Lands from the Prohibited List

• The government has recently introduced a bill to amend the revenue act to grant titles to farmers who have been cultivating the dotted land for over 12 years.
• Approximately 97000 farmers are expected to receive ownership documents and the dots in the land registers will be removed.
• With clear ownership of land, farmers can now sell the land or use it as collateral to secure loans from banks or other financial institutions.
• Farmers can also apply for financial assistance for crop support, purchase of seeds and fertilisers, and procurement of farm equipment.

Why this exercise is needed:

• In recent years, officials have received over 100,000 applications to resolve dotted land disputes.
• The government loses stamp duty revenue and other taxes due to dotted lands, as they are often sold illegally and houses are constructed on them.
• The Chief Minister has stated that the registration value of the 2,06,171 acres is over Rs 8,000 crore while the actual land value is over Rs 20,000 crore.