The Revenue Department of Jammu & Kashmir finds itself in an unenviable spotlight. Frequent news reports of patwaris and other revenue officials being caught red handed in trap cases by anti corruption agencies have created a damaging narrative, one that is steadily eroding public trust in an institution that touches the life of every citizen.
As someone who has served the department at a relatively senior level as Deputy Commissioner, I write this with discomfort and a sense of collective responsibility. It is painful to see an institution meant to safeguard land rights, livelihoods and legal certainty increasingly associated with corruption. It is even more distressing because this perception ignores the many honest officers who continue to perform their duties with integrity, often under pressure and without recognition.
Yet, denial will serve no purpose. Corruption in the Revenue Department is not sporadic; it has become systemic in perception, if not always in reality. For ordinary citizens, the department is often the first point of contact with the state. When that interaction is tainted by illegal demands, the damage goes far beyond monetary loss, it breeds cynicism, helplessness, and alienation from governance itself.
Land records, inheritance matters, and mutations are not mere files; they define ownership, dignity, and economic security. Any compromise in integrity in such matters strikes at the core of justice. A single corrupt act can undo years of trust-building and overshadow countless honest decisions taken quietly by upright officers.
This is a moment for serious introspection within the department. Those in service must remember that authority in revenue administration is not power, it is trust. No illicit gain is worth the humiliation of exposure, the collapse of credibility, or the lasting stain on one’s professional legacy. The actions of a few are unfairly discrediting an entire cadre, and this must stop.
Equally important is the role of the public. Corruption thrives not only because it is demanded, but because it is paid. Citizens must resist the temptation of shortcuts and the fear of delay. One can realize the desparation of a person when his legitimate work is not done and he is made to suffer mental agony. But if we fight rather than use services of touts and pay bribes, the system is bound to improve. If a bribe is demanded, it should be reported to senior officials or anti-corruption agencies. Silence may seem convenient, but it perpetuates a system that ultimately harms everyone. I fully realise that we have reached a stage where it is easier said than done.
The fight against corruption cannot be outsourced to vigilance agencies alone. It requires moral courage within the system and civic responsibility outside it. Restoring the credibility of the Revenue Department is essential, not just for governance, but for social trust.
The department stands at a crossroads. It can either allow corruption to define its public image, or it can reclaim its honour through integrity, accountability, and reform. The choice, and the responsibility, rests on all serving this Department of direct public importance.
The writer has served as the Chairman of J&K Public Service Commission and other senior roles, including Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar.
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