VILLAGE ASSISTANT

The Revenue Department of Theni district is a key part of the state government's administrative machinery, responsible for land administration and management, as well as the delivery of various citizen-centric services. Its functions are critical to the day-to-day governance and development of the district.

Administrative Structure

The Revenue Department in Theni is structured hierarchically, from the district level down to the village level, to ensure effective administration.

• District Level: The head of the Revenue Department at the district level is the District Revenue Officer (DRO), who reports to the District Collector. The current DRO is Tmt.¹ I. Mahalakshmi, M.Sc.

  
  

• Revenue Divisions: Theni district is divided into 2 Revenue Divisions:

  • Periyakulam

  • Uthamapalayam2

    Each division is headed by a Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) or a Sub-Collector.3

• Taluks (Tehsils): The district has 5 Revenue Taluks:

  • Theni

  • Periyakulam

  • Andipatti

  • Bodinayakkanur

  • Uthamapalayam

    Each taluk is managed by a Tahsildar.4

• Firkas: The taluks are further subdivided into 17 Revenue Firkas.⁵

  
  

• Revenue Villages: At the grassroots level, the department's work is carried out in 114 Revenue Villages.⁶ Each village is managed by a Village Administrative Officer (VAO), who is the first point of contact for citizens.

  
  

Key Functions and Services

The Revenue Department in Theni performs a wide range of essential duties:

• Land Administration: This is the department's core function.⁷ It includes:

  
  

  • Maintaining and updating land records (patta, chitta, adangal).⁸

    
    

  • Carrying out land surveys and demarcation.

  • Handling land-related disputes and issuing land-related certificates.

  • Land acquisition for government projects.

• Issuance of Certificates: The department is a crucial point for citizens to obtain various certificates required for government schemes, employment, and education. This includes:

  • Community certificates (caste certificates).

  • Nativity and residency certificates.

  • Income and solvency certificates.

  • Legal heir certificates.

  • First graduate certificates.

• Disaster Management: The Revenue Department plays a leading role in disaster management. It is responsible for:

  • Organizing and coordinating relief operations during natural calamities like floods, droughts, and cyclones.

  • Providing financial assistance and relief to affected people.

  • Operating district and taluk-level disaster control rooms.

• Electoral Rolls: The department is involved in the preparation and updating of electoral rolls for elections.

• Social Security Schemes: It helps in the implementation of various social security schemes, such as old age pensions, widow pensions, and aid for differently-abled persons.

• Grievance Redressal: The Revenue Department is the primary body for addressing public grievances, particularly through programs like the weekly "Grievance Day Meeting" held at the Collectorate.

The department is constantly working to modernize its services by digitizing land records and offering online services through platforms like the e-Sevai portal, which allows citizens to apply for and track their certificates electronically.

*source: google gemini