The previous YSRCP government plunged land records into chaos with the ulterior motive of usurping public and government lands, severely corrupting the revenue system in the process. Against this turbulent backdrop and to safeguard the rightful ownership of genuine landowners, the NDA government has implemented over 40 critical reforms in the Revenue Department over the past two years.
By introducing cutting edge technologies and with plans to leverage artificial intelligence in the near future, the government is working tirelessly to put a permanent end to land disputes. Our ultimate goal is to deliver revenue and registration services in a manner that is seamless, transparent and entirely free of corruption.
To ensure that land records remain untampered, the government is deploying blockchain systems to secure land records. This ensures that even the slightest modification can be easily tracked. It is an impenetrable, highly secure system that leaves no room for hacking or data tampering.
The Revenue and Registration departments have been integrated in real time. By seamlessly connecting Webland with the registration software, property mutations (name transfers) occur automatically the moment a registration is completed. The revenue records are updated instantly, effectively putting an end to the fraudulent practice of double registrations.
The government introduced an Aadhaar based biometric locking facility. In a revolutionary step, farmers can now lock their lands using their fingerprints or a one time password. Consequently, no land transfer or mutation can take place without the owner’s explicit consent. Furthermore, Aadhaar based biometric e-KYC using fingerprints and iris scans is strictly enforced during registration to authenticate the identities of buyers and sellers, halting benami and forged registrations.
Rectifying the errors of the resurveys conducted during the previous regime, our government is executing a foolproof resurvey programme. Drones and Continuous Operating Reference Stations technology are being utilised for highly accurate mapping to resolve boundary disputes permanently. Additionally, centuries old land records are being digitised. With the help of artificial intelligence, all legacy records in the state will be secured with a permanent digital identity by the end of 2026.
To make land registrations hassle free, the Registration Department has overhauled its service delivery mechanisms. A new slot booking system allows citizens to book their appointments online. Registrations are completed within 10 minutes of arriving at the office. The registered document is sent immediately to the citizen’s mobile via WhatsApp and the hard copy is handed over within an hour.
To prevent irregularities in the registration of General Power of Attorney documents for land transactions by NRIs, video e-KYC has been introduced. Additionally, the issuance of revenue certificates such as caste, income, nativity and Pahani Adangal has been fully transitioned online. Applications routed through Gram Ward Secretariats are processed within a stipulated timeframe using digital signatures and certificates are delivered directly to the applicant’s mobile and DigiLocker, eliminating middlemen.
To ensure government services reach the public easily and directly, the AP government has launched Mana Mitra, a WhatsApp based platform. Citizens can access 26 types of revenue services, track their application status and obtain certificates through digital means.
In the coming days, we are set to introduce even more advanced technologies to simplify citizen services while providing permanent security to land records. With the integration of futuristic technologies, the vision of a 100 percent corruption free and dispute free revenue system in Andhra Pradesh will soon become a tangible reality.
Anagani Satya Prasad
Minister for Revenue, Registration and Stamps, Government of Andhra Pradesh
