Atal Dulloo Reviews Progress on Digitization, Modernization of Land Records in J&K
Calls for timely completion to ensure transparency and efficiency in land governance
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the ongoing Digitization and Modernization of Land Records Project in Jammu and Kashmir. Emphasizing the significance of the initiative, he noted that while the exercise is complex and challenging, it is crucial for ensuring transparency, accurate land ownership records, better planning, and improved agricultural management across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Revenue, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan; Director, Survey & Land Records; Inspector General, Registration; CEO, State Health Agency, and other senior officers. All Deputy Commissioners joined the meeting through video conferencing.
Dulloo underscored the importance of completing the digitization process with precision, pointing out that most land-related disputes arise due to discrepancies in land records. He directed officials to ensure regular monitoring of the project’s progress and to complete the modernization exercise within the next six to seven months.
Reviewing the current status of the project, the Chief Secretary instructed the Director, Land Records, to issue clear guidelines to all Deputy Commissioners for recreating missing musavis (cadastral maps) in some villages. He directed that necessary support be provided to districts to finish this task within two months, after which further action for the remaining villages will be determined.
The Chief Secretary also assessed progress under key components of the land records modernization programme, including:
Digitization of Jamabandis (Record of Rights)
Geo-referencing of cadastral maps
Sub-parcelization of survey numbers
End-to-end digitization of registration processes
Modernization of record rooms
Computerization of revenue courts
Implementation of the NAKSHA system in Urban Local Bodies
Execution of the SVAMITVA scheme for property card distribution in rural areas
Presenting an update, the Secretary, Revenue informed that data entry of Jamabandis is underway in 4,519 out of 6,857 villages, with nearly 600 villages already completed. A backlog mutation module has been developed to update Records of Rights (RoR) and Jamabandis up to 2025, with a proof of concept successfully completed in five villages.
He further informed that parcel attribute updation under the PM Gati Shakti initiative is progressing well and is likely to be completed within a month. Out of 6,217 geo-referenced maps received from BISAG-N, 4,240 have been returned after ground-truthing, and parcel attribution has been completed for 3,489 villages using QGIS/ARC GIS tools.
On the registration front, the meeting was informed that the process is expected to become fully paperless within two weeks, with legacy data dating back to 1990 being digitized in coordination with judicial courts.
Under the SVAMITVA scheme, 52,265 property cards have been distributed across 1,200 villages, while drone surveys are nearly complete and work on Map 1.0 and Map 2.0 is in progress. The NAKSHA scheme is being implemented on a pilot basis in four Urban Local Bodies — Bishnah, Katra, Pattan, and Awantipora — with Bishnah nearing completion and drone surveys pending in the remaining three.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to transforming land governance in J&K, the Chief Secretary directed the Revenue Department to sustain momentum and ensure seamless integration of all modules under the Digital Land Records Modernization Programme (DLRMP) to enhance public service delivery and minimize land disputes.
