Centre To Use IT To Modernise National Land Records

Keeping in mind the importance of land as the most important natural resource and the base of all human activity, the central government has decided to implement the National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP) in the country. Addressing a press conference held for the same recently, Union Rural Development minister, Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh emphasised the need for proper upkeep of Land Records in the country. Maintenance of proper land records is of utmost importance so that people, both in rural and urban areas, know of their ownership and proprietary rights.

The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on August 21, 2008, has already approved the proposal of the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development to merge its two existing centrally-sponsored schemes of Computerisation of Land Records (CLR) and Strengthening of Revenue Administration & Updating of Land Records (SRA&ULR) and to replace them with a modified centrally-sponsored scheme in the shape of the National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP).

The activities proposed under the NLRMP include computerisation of land records including digitisation of maps and integration of textual and spatial data; survey/resurvey; computerisation of registration including entry of valuation details; setting up modern record rooms; training and capacity building; inter-connectivity using IT among revenue offices and among various agencies involved in land records such as Revenue Offices, Survey and Settlement Offices, Registration Offices, Panchayats, etc; core GIS activities such as village index base maps from satellite imagery for creating the core GIS; and integration of three layers of data: (i) Spatial data from aerial photograph or high-resolution satellite imagery; (ii) Survey of India and Forest Survey of India maps; and (iii) Cadastral maps from revenue records. The total cost of the programme is Rs 5656 crore of which centre’s share will be Rs 3098 crore while the states’ share will be Rs 2558 crore.

Dr Singh said the programme has zeroed in on modern technologies that can be used for speedier survey/resurvey of the land. Three technologies have been identified in consultation with the technical agencies: Pure ground method using electronic total station (ETS) and global positioning system (GPS), Hybrid method using aerial photography and ground truthing by ETS and GPS; and High-resolution satellite imagery.

It is also proposed to set up a Core Technical Advisory Group with representatives of all the technical agencies to advise and assist the department in achieving the goals of the programme. Similarly, regional Technical Advisory Groups will be set up to assist the states in implementing the programme. The district has been selected as the unit for programme implementation. All the activities envisaged under the programme would be undertaken district-by-district.

The main benefits of NLRMP to the citizens would be: the records will always be up-to-date, tamperproof and easily accessible as they will be placed on a website with proper security IDs; the time taken for obtaining copies of land records will be drastically reduced; automatic and automated mutilations will reduce the scope of fraudulent property deals and also litigation; market value information would be available on the website and e-linkage to credit facility will become available.