Study on Evaluation of Quality of Land Records

The National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP) was launched in 2008 as a centrally sponsored scheme, relaunched as the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme in 2016 with 100% centrally funded scheme. The scheme, now extended till 2025-26, aims to develop a modern, comprehensive and transparent land record management system with the integration of all relevant data bases. Since huge amount have been invested, it become important to anlayse how well the digitized land records reflect the ground realities and what kind of challenges land owners are facing in accessing the digitised copies of their land records. In this context, NCAER has been entrusted this study, with support from DoLR, Ministry of Rural Development, GOI.

The scope of the study includes: a) identifying the gaps in terms of progress of digitization of textual/ spatial records, registration process and integration between these components and gaps in systems talking to each other; identifying the extent to which RORs and Maps are being updated; identifying the status of mutation / subdivisions; and understanding the status of process of rectification in digitized records. The study includes survey of land owners in 4 States/UTs’ in India i.e. Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan. Additionally, responses were taken from patwaris and the revenue departments officials of the respective States/ UTs. The findings are expected to help in nuancing the policies and implementation processes that could help in addressing the challenges and gaps towards achieving the desired outcomes of the programme by 2025-26.