NAKSHA: SCHEMES

NAKSHA: SCHEMES

NEWS: NAKSHA Scheme – National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations

 

Overview of NAKSHA Scheme

  • NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) is a technology-driven city survey initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP).
  • The scheme focuses on accurate land mapping in urban areas using geospatial technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accuracy in property ownership records.

 

Key Details

  • Launched by: Ministry of Rural Development
  • Implementing Agency: Department of Land Resources
  • Collaborating Organizations:
  • Survey of India – Conducts high-precision land mapping.
  • National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) – Provides IT infrastructure support.

 

Objectives of NAKSHA Scheme

1.      Modernizing Urban Land Records  : Ensure accurate, updated, and digitalized land ownership records for urban properties.

2.      Enhancing Urban Planning  : Facilitate smart city development and infrastructure planning by providing detailed urban land maps.

3.      Reducing Land Disputes : Minimize property ownership conflicts by maintaining clear and verifiable records.

4.      Fostering Transparency : Establish a Web-GIS-based IT system for land record management, accessible to the public.

5.      Supporting Sustainable Development : Improve urban governance and land resource management to promote planned urbanization.

 

Key Features of the NAKSHA Scheme

·         Pilot Project Coverage

  • Initially launched as a pilot project in 152 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across 26 States and 3 Union Territories (UTs).
  • Cities selected must meet two criteria:
      • Area less than 35 square km.
      • Population less than 2 lakh people.
  • The pilot project is expected to be completed within one year.

·         Geographical Scope

  • As per Census 2011, India has 7,933 towns covering 1.02 lakh square km of India’s 32.87 lakh square km total geographical area.
  • Under the NAKSHA initiative, an estimated 4,142.63 square km will be mapped using geospatial technology.

·         Financial Allocation

  • The estimated cost of the pilot project is ₹194 crore, which is 100% funded by the Government of India.

·         Technology Used for Survey

  • Drone-based land survey: High-precision aerial surveys for accurate mapping.
  • Web-GIS platform: End-to-end IT-based land record management system.
  • Public accessibility: Citizens will be able to access digital land records for improved ease of living.

 

How Will the Survey Be Conducted?

1. Use of Drone Technology

  • Aerial Photography:
  • Drones will use two types of cameras:
      • Simple cameras for standard imagery.
      • Oblique angle cameras with LiDAR sensors (5 cameras per drone) for high-precision mapping.
  • The resolution will be 5 cm, significantly sharper than satellite imagery.

2. Three-Stage Survey Process

Stage 1: Drone Survey & Data Collection

  • Selection of survey area and creation of a flight plan for drone survey.
  • Drones capture high-resolution images, from which land data is extracted.

Stage 2: Field Survey & Data Verification

  • Ground verification of property tax records, ownership details, and registration deeds.
  • 2D/3D models of land parcels are created, and draft land ownership details are published.

Stage 3: Public Review & Finalization

  • Claims and objections regarding land records are invited and reviewed.
  • Grievance redressal process ensures fair resolution of disputes.
  • Final maps with accurate land ownership details are published.

 

Potential Benefits of NAKSHA Scheme

1.      Comprehensive Digital Urban Land Records : Creates accurate and verifiable digital records of land ownership in urban areas.

2.      Reduction in Land Disputes: Helps in resolving property conflicts by maintaining clear land ownership records.

3.      Faster and Efficient Urban Planning: Provides detailed maps for urban planners and policymakers, aiding in better infrastructure development.

4.      Improvement in Property Tax Collection: Enables better tax assessment by identifying unregistered and undervalued properties.

5.      Simplifies Property Transactions: Digital records will streamline land sales, purchases, and transfers, reducing fraud and legal disputes.

6.      Enhances Access to Credit: Well-documented ownership records allow property owners to use land as collateral for loans.

 

Need for Urban Land Record Updation in India

·         While rural land records have significantly improved under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), urban land records remain outdated, fragmented, and incomplete.

·         Current Status of Land Records in India (as of 2024)

  • 95% of rural land records have been computerized, covering over 6.26 lakh villages.
  • However, urban land records lack uniformity and completeness, leading to administrative inefficiencies.

·         Challenges Due to Outdated Urban Land Records

  • Lack of cadastral maps (detailed property maps within a specific area) creates:
      • Difficulty in verification of land ownership.
      • Property disputes and delays in urban infrastructure projects.

 

Inefficiencies in governance and loss of municipal tax revenue.

Conclusion

  • The NAKSHA scheme is a significant step towards modernizing urban land records using advanced geospatial technology.
  • By leveraging drone-based mapping and AI-powered GIS systems, it will provide accurate and transparent land ownership records, improving urban governance, reducing disputes, and facilitating better city planning.
  • If successfully implemented, it could revolutionize India’s urban land management system and serve as a model for nationwide expansion in the future.

 

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/naksha-urban-land-records-9855678/