MIRPURKHAS, Jan 11: The Mirpurkhas regional revenue officer has reportedly detected irregularities in revenue departments of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Sanghar districts. During the inspection of revenue record of 11 talukas of these three districts an additional area of 14,958 acres was found cultivated in excess than the submitted statistics, which revealed that a huge amount of agriculture tax, instead of being deposited in government exchequer, was allegedly misappropriated.

Reports said that Syed Anwar Haider, senior member, Board of Revenue, Sindh, ordered an inquiry into the revenue records of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar and Tharparkar districts after finding a sharp decline in the revenue tax collection and appointed Khuda Bux Larik, regional revenue officer, Mirpurkhas, as inquiry officer, who initiated an inquiry.

So far, the inquiry officer has scanned the record of 11 talukas, including Mirpurkhas, Sindhri, Jhuddo, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Hussain Bux Mari, Digri, Umerkot, Pithoro, Samaro and Kunri.

Reports said that revenue department officials showed a figure of 320,971 acres of land in the official record last year in 11 talukas. In Umerkot taluka, the cultivated area stood at 76,650 acres while an additional 1,628 acres was detected by the inquiry officer. In Samaro taluka, the cultivated area amounted to 23,383 acres while an additional 900 acres excess was detected. In Kunri taluka, 762 acres of unrecorded cultivated area was detected where 26,300 acres was shown as cultivated last year.

The inquiry officer also detected 611 unrecorded acres in Pithoro taluka, 1,104 acres in Digri, 832 acres in Sindhri, 1103 acres in Kot Ghulam Mohammad, 1100 acres in Mirpurkhas, and 800 acres in Sinjhoro.

The inquiry officer said that 4,910 acres was shown as kutcha mango orchards, for which an annual agriculture tax is fixed at Rs10 per acre while for pucca mango orchards, the agricultural tax is fixed at Rs510 per year.

He said that now this area has been recorded as pucca mango orchard in revenue department, hence agriculture tax recovery would increase from these 11 talukas in Rabi season.

He said that there were a number of complaints of irregularities in district revenue department of Sanghar and he would conduct an inquiry into the matter after forthcoming elections.

He said that he had furnished his inquiry report to the senior member, BoR., Jan 11: The Mirpurkhas regional revenue officer has reportedly detected irregularities in revenue departments of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Sanghar districts. During the inspection of revenue record of 11 talukas of these three districts an additional area of 14,958 acres was found cultivated in excess than the submitted statistics, which revealed that a huge amount of agriculture tax, instead of being deposited in government exchequer, was allegedly misappropriated.

Reports said that Syed Anwar Haider, senior member, Board of Revenue, Sindh, ordered an inquiry into the revenue records of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar and Tharparkar districts after finding a sharp decline in the revenue tax collection and appointed Khuda Bux Larik, regional revenue officer, Mirpurkhas, as inquiry officer, who initiated an inquiry.

So far, the inquiry officer has scanned the record of 11 talukas, including Mirpurkhas, Sindhri, Jhuddo, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Hussain Bux Mari, Digri, Umerkot, Pithoro, Samaro and Kunri.

Reports said that revenue department officials showed a figure of 320,971 acres of land in the official record last year in 11 talukas. In Umerkot taluka, the cultivated area stood at 76,650 acres while an additional 1,628 acres was detected by the inquiry officer. In Samaro taluka, the cultivated area amounted to 23,383 acres while an additional 900 acres excess was detected. In Kunri taluka, 762 acres of unrecorded cultivated area was detected where 26,300 acres was shown as cultivated last year.

The inquiry officer also detected 611 unrecorded acres in Pithoro taluka, 1,104 acres in Digri, 832 acres in Sindhri, 1103 acres in Kot Ghulam Mohammad, 1100 acres in Mirpurkhas, and 800 acres in Sinjhoro.

The inquiry officer said that 4,910 acres was shown as kutcha mango orchards, for which an annual agriculture tax is fixed at Rs10 per acre while for pucca mango orchards, the agricultural tax is fixed at Rs510 per year.

He said that now this area has been recorded as pucca mango orchard in revenue department, hence agriculture tax recovery would increase from these 11 talukas in Rabi season.

He said that there were a number of complaints of irregularities in district revenue department of Sanghar and he would conduct an inquiry into the matter after forthcoming elections.

He said that he had furnished his inquiry report to the senior member, BoR.