Digitization to Provide Easy, Transparent Revenue Services; Commissioner Secretary Revenue
SNS KASHMIR
SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER, 28:
Srinagar,CNS,28-Nov; A push to digitize land records in Kashmir to establish ownership and minimize conflicts has raised concerns over privacy for poorer communities as the records available online have much difference with the records handwritten by Patwari’s.
Under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), the Revenue Department claims that more than 50% of the records have already been digitized in around 4000 villages. However, land owners across J&K are worried about wrong insertions that were made in the land revenue land during the last settlement that took place more than 10 years back.
While speaking to CNS, a delegation of land owners said that the digitization of land revenue records is a welcome step but there have been some serious errors committed by Revenue officials during the last settlement. This faulty land record insertion has been committed across Jammu & Kashmir in all districts and has not been rectified till date. Unfortunately, the same faulty information being uploaded on the online portal is only going to worsen the issue.
“In a bid to complete the digitisation process and bag the 100% title, the authorities must not lose sight of the true spirit of the exercise. They need to look into this issue urgently and halt the digitisation process. There are many differences in the hand written records and the digitized record available online. Errors need to be corrected first. Once this is done, then only should the land records be uploaded on the digital network”,they added.
President All J&K Patwar Association Abdul Majeed Malla said that despite updating the record from 2015-2018,however Bringing in technology does not change the equation on the ground – people still have very differential access to technology. Adding that, Patwaris are facing many hardships, especially technical issues in smooth implementation of Digital Land Records Management System. The working Patwaris despite being well qualified and having good knowledge of Urdu are not that much trained in working on computer software, the issue is of the main concern & to be taken care of.
“We appreciate steps taken by the government by deciding to digitise and modernise land records besides developing a centralised land record management system under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme but we are facing some problems in its execution. We met the J-K Administration and put before them our genuine demands from time to time. The Administration then assured us that all the demands will be taken care of on a priority basis but we are yet to see anything done on ground”,Malla added.
On being contacted by CNS, Commissioner Secretary Revenue, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri(IAS) said that if there is any variation or difference in the online record, it should be reported to the concerned Tehsil office as soon as possible.
“The digitization aims to provide hassle-free revenue services to the public at the click of mouse as it will bring in added transparency and accountability for further streamlining of the system.(CNS)