PATNA, Feb. 17 -- Asserting land issues as a major source of violence, deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who holds the revenue and land reforms portfolio, said that about 800 to 1,000 lives are lost every year in Bihar due to disputes over land, a stark reminder of how deeply entrenched the issue remains in rural and semi-urban areas. "The disputes over land records affect social peace," Sinha said, adding that the department has adopted the slogan: "Clear land entitlement brings everlasting peace, happiness and prosperity." He said this while replying to the debate on the annual budgetary demand of his departments in the legislative council on Monday. The Deputy CM highlighted a sharp rise in revenue collection, which jumped from Rs.1,600 crore in 2021-22 to Rs.3,667 crore in 2024-25. He attributed the growth to better monitoring, digitisation and stricter enforcement. Taking a tough stance on fraud, Sinha warned that anyone submitting forged documents to claim land titles would face severe consequences. "Those furnishing fake documents will be identified and penalised with imprisonment of up to seven years," he stated, adding that instructions detailing provisions under relevant sections of law have been sent to all circle officers and officials. He promised rewards for officers who conduct thorough, rule-based inquiries, predicting visible positive results soon. The department, he said, has identified around 4.6 million pending applications related to irregularities in land records. Of these, roughly 4 million are minor in nature. "We are categorising similar cases together and aim to dispose of a large number by March 31, 2026," Sinha told the house. Under the ongoing Revenue Mahabhiyan - described as the department's top priority - more than 34 lakh old documents have already been scanned, with several districts achieving over 90% progress. Sinha acknowledged the outdated foundation of current records, based largely on cadastral surveys conducted between 1,890 and 1,920, and a regional survey that was abandoned in 1975 after covering only about ten districts. He stressed the urgent need for an accurate, time-bound fresh survey to be carried out with "clear intent, transparent policy and specific guidelines." To modernise operations, the department is shifting to a fully digital, paperless system from application to final order, even integrating artificial intelligence. Regular hearings have been revived, with public darbars mandated every Saturday in every circle as per chief minister Nitish Kumar's directive. The Dy CM warned the individuals and land mafia for making bids to grab the government or private land through forged documents and said that strict penal action would be taken against sub attempts. He clarified that though the police have limited role in land disputes, their intervention is sought by revenue officials to ensure proper resolution and the matter escalated to violence rather than unilateral visits to dispute sites. Sinha said that Basera drive has also made notable progress with 70,289 eligible families receiving land allotment under the 2nd phase of the campaign. The government is committed to providing one acre of agricultural land or five decimal for housing to families of martyred soldiers. Ensuring that the state government would have no issues in offering land to prospective investors, the Deputy CM said that the districts have been directed to create land banks by identifying suitable government land. He acknowledged the manpower shortage in the department, said the plans are afoot to recruit 16,584 personnel against the sanctioned post of 22,342 this year. Wrapping up, the Deputy CM expressed confidence that the "double-engine government" would deliver on its mandate. "With the massive public support received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar, we are writing a new chapter of development in Bihar," he said, thanking the house for its guidance....