11,394 hectares of inam lands made freehold in Chandgad tehsil, govt waives Rs 54 lakh fees as special case

Kolhapur: State govt has converted nearly 11,394 hectares of inam (gifted) land in Chandgad tehsil into freehold property, granting around 12,000 families full ownership rights after decades of uncertainty.The land, traditionally known as Here Saranjam, was spread across 55 villages in Chandgad tehsil. It was originally gifted for political reasons by the then ruling dynasty led by Sambhajirao Sawant Bhosale, who resided in Here village. Although the inam tenure was abolished in 1952, the issue of ownership remained unresolved for decades.The is believed to be one of the rarest cases in the state where such a large tract of inam land has been converted from Class 2 (restricted ownership) to Class 1 (freehold) status through a single govt order.

The state revenue department has also waived transfer charges amounting to Rs 54 lakh, which landholders would otherwise have been required to pay for the conversion.In 1960, state govt had directed that the lands be made freehold. Subsequent scrutiny, however, found that conditions attached to nearly 5,000 hectares of the total 11,394 hectares had been violated. As per a 2001 govt policy, tenants were required to pay transfer charges equivalent to 200 times the prescribed assessment to regularise the land, with the total liability estimated at around Rs 54 lakh.Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Nearly 12,000 families are dependent on these lands, but they lacked the rights needed for development, obtaining loans and availing govt schemes.”