Tabish Shafi
Srinagar, Feb 6: With around one crore revenue records yet to be scanned, the much hyped digitisation of land records under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) in Srinagar is moving at a snail’s pace, while as Jammu has marched ahead with almost 100 percent scanning of entire revenue records.
The project aimed to provide computerized management of the land records and their digital maintenance would make it easier and quicker to obtain updated land revenue records. The officials blame shortage of manpower, lesser number of working days, higher amount of work and other reasons for slow progress.
Central Record Room (CRR) Srinagar also called Muhafiz Khana of the State Revenue Department has not shown much progress as compared to
Central Record Room Jammu in the implementation of Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) which provides computerized management of the land records and their digital maintenance.
According to the Commissioner Survey and Land Records, Shahbaz Mirza, there are around 2.5 crore revenue documents in Central Record Room (CRR) Srinagar also called Muhafiz Khana of the State Revenue Department. Out of them 1.6 crore documents have been scanned. Scanning of these revenue documents is the first component of the programme.
“Srinagar has more revenue documents as compared to Jammu which is the reason it lags behind. Still we have completed more than 50% in Srinagar district. The scanned documents involve quality check after they are scanned which needs more manpower,” the commissioner said.
Governor Satya Pal Malik in November 2018 had extended the date of completion to June 2019 after the departmental progress indicated that the work wont completed by the previous deadline of March 2019.
When asked if the remained work, which comprises of almost one crore revenue documents, could be completed by June of this year, Commissioner said “We have limited staff and most of the project related work is done by staff and the vendor. Moreover, we have advertised for more manpower for speedy work and we are receiving applications. We are doing our best to fast-track the process.”
“We have to follow the deadline given by the governor administration and I hope it will be completed till June,” he assured.
Jammu CRR has about 1.17 crore revenue documents, all of which have been scanned except some records which are in deteriorated conditions which will also be completed before June 2019.
According to official sources, the unrest in 2016, more land records than Jammu because of the presence of Azad Kashmir land records and less power supply add to the reasons due to which project got delayed in Srinagar district.
DILMRP, a centrally funded project, was started in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015 for having access to transparent land records. The twin capitals were taken first for digitization. The programme involves three phases. Phase I of the programme includes Jammu and Srinagar. Phase II involves Poonch, Ramban, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kargil, Udhampur, Leh, Doda, Bandipora and Rajouri. In phase III, Kathua, Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, Reasi, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Kupwara, Kishtwar and Samba are to be taken.
There are about 6.6 crore revenue documents and 55,000 revenue maps in the state which need to be scanned, digitized and updated.
Phase I was to be completed by March 2019 which has now been extended by administration to June 2019.The whole project in the state, involving all the three phases, needs to be completed by March 31, 2022.
Recently, the Union Ministry had also expressed concern over the slow progress in the implementation of the programme in the state and directed the revenue department to accelerate the progress of various components of the programme.
The major components of the Programme include Computerization of Land Records, Computerization of Registration and Survey/Re-survey and updating of the survey & Settlement record.
