BHU-AADHAARPROJECT
BHU-AADHAARPROJECT
Mains Examination: General Studies 2
(Government Policies and Interventions)
Context :
- The Government of India has made effective use of technology in various sectors, including the financial sector, Direct Bank Transfer initiative and others. The Government of India is working on one of the most difficult projects it has ever undertaken, which is the digitization of land records.
- Unique Land Parcel Identification Number System has been launched by Department of Land Resources (DoLR) along with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Science and Technology and National Remote Sensing Centre.
Bhu-AadhaarProject :
- Bhu-AadhaarProjector Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) project, which is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources.
- The project will preserve the world's largest database on land ownership.
- By March 2024, the Government of India aims to digitize 100 percent of its land records and land registration process.
Digital India Land Records Modernization Program:
- It integrates computerization of land records, strengthening of revenue administration and updation of land records.
- Each plot/parcel of land (both urban and rural) gets a 14-digit alpha-numeric ULPIN (Unique Land Parcel Identification Number), also known as Bhu-Aadhaar.
Key aspects of this program:
Data Mapping :
- The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number or Bhu-Aadhaarwill contain the longitude and latitude coordinates of the land parcel and is based on detailed surveys and geo-referenced maps.
- It will cover all land parcels, rural and urban.
Language Processing:
- At present, records of rights are maintained in local languages in each state and union territory.
- The Digital India land records modernization program will render land records in any of the 22 languages recognized by the Constitution.
Implementation :
- Bhu-Aadhaar project has been launched in 26 states and is currently being implemented in the rest of the states except Meghalaya.
- Meghalaya's tradition of communal land ownership has resulted in the project not being implemented in the state.
Data related to land disputes in India:
According to a study-
- 66% of all civil litigation in India is related to land or property disputes, and the average pendency of a land acquisition dispute is 20 years.
- The loss of GDP to the country's economy due to stalled projects due to litigation related to land disputes is about 1.3 percent.
- 17 per cent of all disputes in the Delhi High Court are related to immovable property. The vast majority of litigation in these cases is between private parties.
- The central government is the petitioner (or appellant) in 2 per cent of such cases, but the respondent in more than 18 per cent.
- Tenancy disputes are the most common type of litigation, followed by land acquisition matters.
- Contrary to expectations, disputes arising out of and related to property records make up a small proportion (13.6 percent) of real estate litigation.
Significance :
Help in creating a unified nationwide ID:
- Till now, different states were using different methods to assign unique IDs to land parcels in computerization of land records.
- It made it difficult and cumbersome to extract vital information about farmers and their land.
- In many cases, land parcel numbers were duplicated in each village, making it difficult to establish farmer-land linkages.
- A unique ID will help in sharing of land record data among departments, financial institutions and all stakeholders.
Prevention of land fraud:
- The Unique Identification Number will prevent land fraud, especially in rural India, where land records are out-of-date and often disputed.
To reduce pending disputes:
- Once the digitization process of land records and registration is completed, it is expected that there will be a reduction in the huge number of court cases related to land disputes.
- It will also help farmers to leverage their land and use it as collateral to borrow money from banks.
Challenges :
Issues of updating land records:
- Digitization of cadastral maps will generally not contain latitude/longitude data. Altitude and projection problems may occur.
- We have record of title reflecting ownership, with new registrations and mutations being automated. With or without title insurance, it guarantees title and just as Aadhaar captures biometrics, ULPIN captures everything about that plot/parcel. All in all it is a difficult process.
Difficulty achieving goals
- Given the complex nature of history and land laws, it is claimed that the process may not be completed by March 2024 (or even March 2026), both the target dates.
Viability and stability:
- The viability and sustainability of the project has also raised concerns due to the cost of implementation, especially considering the limited financial resources of the Department of Land Resources.
Way forward:
Need for overall modernization:
- As a cause of litigation, land/property issues are really important. But in the absence of other changes (such as a multiplicity of laws on land and rural/urban silos), the quantitative case for modernization of land records alone should not be overstated.
- For example, in a similar fashion, the Economic Survey 2014-15 tracked stalled projects and found that land acquisition is not as big an issue as is commonly made out to be.
Setting an Example:
- There are stretches where land titles and records are in disarray, requiring a mammoth effort to clean up. But there are parts where the title and the record are clear.
- They can easily get their ULPIN, the efficiency gains they make act like a demonstration effect for others to come on board.
Fixed Capacity Determination:
- Despite the challenges and controversies associated with the Bhu-Aadhaar project, it has the potential to bring significant benefits to India's land management system.
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Mains Exam Question
Examine the issues related to land disputes in India. Write the significance of BhuAadhaar Project for the land management system of India.