The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to issue new Pattadar passbooks, replacing those introduced during former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure, which featured his photograph on the cover.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, after a review meeting with Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad at the Secretariat, announced the decision to redesign the passbooks. The new version will feature the state emblem on the cover instead of a political leader’s image.
Naidu emphasized that people believe personal photographs should not be printed on documents inherited from ancestors. He criticized the previous administration’s approach, stating, “We will protect the assets of the public rather than create stress by printing personal photos on official documents.”
Revenue and registration officials presented a prototype of the new Pattadar passbook, which includes the state emblem and a QR code. Naidu instructed officials to avoid using any party colors or photos of political leaders on the passbooks.
The previous YSRCP government reportedly spent Rs 15 crore solely on printing Jagan’s photo on the passbooks. Additionally, an estimated Rs 650 crore was spent on survey stones featuring Y.S. Jagan’s portrait. With approximately 77 lakh survey stones already placed, the current government is considering how to address this issue.
This move marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to official documentation and land records.
-Sanyogita
