What is the news?

=> The Assam government has decided to abolish the concept of ‘revenue town’ in a move that aims to rationalize land premium rates.

=> Minister Pijush Hazarika said people living in ‘revenue towns’ and peripheries of municipal boards had to pay high premium on matters related to registration of land, conversion to myadi patta and other land revenue-related matters.

=> But “People living in these periphery areas, including ‘revenue towns’, do not enjoy the facilities existing within the area of municipal boards.

=> Thus the concept of Revenue Towns have been removed.

What are Revenue Towns?

Census Town:

=> Census towns are areas that are not defined as a town by state governments but have urban characteristics (a minimum population of 5,000, at least 75% of the male working population in the town engaged in non-agricultural activities, and a population density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre).

Revenue Towns:

=> Census towns if recognised by the State government as urban area will be known as revenue town.

=> Revenue towns don’t have municipality, yet people having/owning property in those areas have to pay charges at a premium rate.