CHENNAI: Survey numbers of 5.06 lakh land documents have been wrongly recorded in Tamilnilam, the official database of the land administration department, during computerisation of land records in 20 taluks, says the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit report 2022 on land records management tabled in the Assembly.
With 1.48 lakh wrong entries, Tiruvallur district has the highest number of errors. The clerical error in assigning survey numbers for land parcels may affect a few hundred crore worth of property transactions, sources said. The CAG report said 23.24 lakh land documents have been digitised in 20 taluks in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Tiruppur, Perambalur, The Nilgiris, Kanniyakumari and other districts. “Survey numbers of 15.03 lakh documents have been recorded correctly. But discrepancies were found in survey numbers of 5,06,518 documents,” the report said.
A sample study was carried out by the CAG in 20 taluks. Discrepancies were also found in computerised natham chitta in these 20 taluks. While owners’ names were missing in 293 documents, relatives’ names were not found in 328, the CAG said. Digitisation of land records has been marred by several deficiencies, including an abnormal delay in launching online services for natham land records and e-adangal, and delay in online patta transfers.
The report also pointed out deficiencies in data link between registration and revenue departments, asset management, data security and monitoring of the scheme. “Lack of validation controls in the software resulted in errors and discrepancies in capturing old survey numbers and assigning sub-division numbers as per rotation rules,” the report said.
Pattas were issued to private entities for 6.22 lakh land parcels across 111 towns as per Updating of Registry scheme in 1979, classifying it as ryotwari nanjai/punjai. However, these land parcels were registered as government land (sarkar punjai/nanjai) in Tamilnilam, the report said.
In response to CAG’s observation, revenue officials said nearly 3 lakh of 6.22 lakh cases have been resolved and remaining cases would also be addressed soon. “It is, however, a matter of concern that owners of about 3.22 lakh land parcels are put to hardship in getting patta transfers,” the CAG said.