Digitisation of entire land record system stressed
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Naim-Ul-Karim
Reforms in the country's land administration can play a vital role in preventing disputes, as 70-80 per cent of both civil and criminal cases filed in the courts emanate from conflicts over land, said a Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) member Sunday.
The RRC member Sajjad Zahir told the FE that digitisation of the country's entire land records and turning the district administration offices into monitoring bodies from its present role of service provider is very much needed to ensure transparency, reduce corruption and curb public harassment while buying and selling lands.
"Information on land records and maps need to be stored in a manner accessible online so that we can obtain the information at times of need from any where in the world," he said.
He stressed the need for taking a coordinated plan instead of pilot projects for reforms using local resources without having to depend on aid of foreign agencies.
"The government can modernise the land records, management and registration system using its own resources instead of depending on external agencies," said Dr Zahir, who was also member of a government taskforce on 'Modernised Land Management and Registration'.
The government taskforce submitted its proposals in September this year after working for seven months since February.
In its proposal, the taskforce said the entire activities of land purchase and registration should be done by Directorate of Land Records and Surveys and registration department while the assistant commissioner (AC) of land should act as a monitor rather than a service provider.
Right now there are six government agencies including Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, registration department, district administration, divisional commissioner, quasi-judicial and judicial systems dealing with land affairs.
Dr. Sajjad, however, said all relevant offices of the government on land should be brought under the same window so that they can exchange all information.
The taskforce said most of the existing land survey records in land offices, including the Cadastral Survey (CS), conducted in 1890-1940, and Revisional Settlement (RS), conducted in 1969-83, are in printed form. They have worn out and are easy to forge.
"The land survey documents should be computerised to provide prompt service as well as keep records updated by linking with registration," Mr. Zahir said.
"All Mouza maps with specific plots and registration records have to be scanned and saved as read-only so that any one can browse through those whenever required," he said.
Reforms in the country's land administration can play a vital role in preventing disputes, as 70-80 per cent of both civil and criminal cases filed in the courts emanate from conflicts over land, said a Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) member Sunday.
The RRC member Sajjad Zahir told the FE that digitisation of the country's entire land records and turning the district administration offices into monitoring bodies from its present role of service provider is very much needed to ensure transparency, reduce corruption and curb public harassment while buying and selling lands.
"Information on land records and maps need to be stored in a manner accessible online so that we can obtain the information at times of need from any where in the world," he said.
He stressed the need for taking a coordinated plan instead of pilot projects for reforms using local resources without having to depend on aid of foreign agencies.
"The government can modernise the land records, management and registration system using its own resources instead of depending on external agencies," said Dr Zahir, who was also member of a government taskforce on 'Modernised Land Management and Registration'.
The government taskforce submitted its proposals in September this year after working for seven months since February.
In its proposal, the taskforce said the entire activities of land purchase and registration should be done by Directorate of Land Records and Surveys and registration department while the assistant commissioner (AC) of land should act as a monitor rather than a service provider.
Right now there are six government agencies including Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, registration department, district administration, divisional commissioner, quasi-judicial and judicial systems dealing with land affairs.
Dr. Sajjad, however, said all relevant offices of the government on land should be brought under the same window so that they can exchange all information.
The taskforce said most of the existing land survey records in land offices, including the Cadastral Survey (CS), conducted in 1890-1940, and Revisional Settlement (RS), conducted in 1969-83, are in printed form. They have worn out and are easy to forge.
"The land survey documents should be computerised to provide prompt service as well as keep records updated by linking with registration," Mr. Zahir said.
"All Mouza maps with specific plots and registration records have to be scanned and saved as read-only so that any one can browse through those whenever required," he said.