Jharkhand can look forward to get a respite from burgeoning land disputes due to faulty records, courtesy the National land Records Modernisation Programme (NlRMP) Cell which was inaugurated by land and Revenue Minister Amar Kumar Bauri here on Tuesday.
Housed in the premises of Shri Krishna Institute of Public Administration, the Cell established under Digital India land Record Modernisation Programme (DIlRMP) will aim to use technological advancements for rooting out decades-old discrepancies in land records owing to faulty surveys and improper maintenance.
“Even in the past, regimes and organisations have been dependent on land, but the land records we had to work with after being carved from Bihar were faulty from the get-go, they were not adequately refined. The problems pertaining to land we face today originated there.
We have technology at our disposal on Tuesday, it is how we use it will make a difference,” said the Minister during the inauguration ceremony.
Technologies like Global Positioning System and high resolution satellite imagery will be used to pinpoint the exact dimension and boundaries of a land plot. After acquiring the required equipment, focus is on making the manpower involved more efficient and tech savvy. Modern record rooms will also feature prominently in the plans of the Cell.
To this end, all COs, CIs and computer operators will be trained as resource person, stated Director, NlRMP Rajiv Ranjan. Deputy Commissioner, Ranchi Manoj Kumar suggested that the personnel are equipped with tablet computers so that they can put their digital signatures on records from anywhere. In reply to this suggestion, Ranjan informed that requisitions have been invited in this regard and will be fulfilled promptly once received.
“Officials will have to be given more facilities for optimum results. They should be provided computers and internet accessibility. The scope of digitisation of land records should be extended to Pragya Kendras for Panchayat-level coverage,” stated Director General, SKIPA Sudhir Prasad.
Efforts were being made since 2012 to digitise the entire procedure involved with land records to make it more transparent; however the endeavours gained pace one year ago. The results garnered in this time period have been encouraging too, as told by officials.
“Record of Right for 112 blocks has been entirely digitised and can be seen on jharkhandbhoomi.nic.in. Out of the 32,759 maps we have with us, 23,770 have been converted to digital format and will be uploaded soon,” Ranjan stated.
He further added, “Integration between Registration and Revenue is also working well in Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, lohardaga and East Singhbhum. As soon as a land plot is registered, the process for its mutation is simultaneously initiated by respective CO. Nation’s first online lagaan payment facility is up and running in Nagri. Seeding Aadhar numbers with Record of Right will be the next crucial step we take.”