Land Records Modernisation in India – I

Abstract

During 2014–2015, a team of researchers conducted a series of primary and secondary studies on land record modernisation initiatives across Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat, which were published as part of a five-volume set on Land Records Modernisation in India. The second edition of these volumes incorporates new initiatives, technological updates and legislative amendments in each of these states, as well as the changes in the national level policy and programmes. Based on extensive on-ground research, this set of volumes presents a review of the land records management processes and the status of current efforts to modernise land records, against a larger historical background of land and revenue relations in each state. The volumes on the respective states are accompanied by an institutional, legal and policy review at the national level, which provides a summary of various crucial aspects of land records modernisation in India. It also appraises the impact of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme, its gains and limitations, as well as possible steps forward. Combining detailed state-level analysis with a national review, this is a much needed intervention in the study of land records administration and modernisation in India. This set of volumes would be a vital resource for researchers and practitioners alike, as well as for policymakers at both the state and central level.