Raipur
Chhattisgarh’s Registration Department Minister, OP Choudhary, used empty files to discipline corrupt officials. The state government was in the process of overhauling the land registry system when some officials allegedly planned a strike, communicating their intentions via WhatsApp. Minister Choudhary learned of this plan. The officials were reportedly upset about the government’s move to implement simultaneous land registration and mutation, which would save time for the public and curb bribery.
“I obtained details of past irregularities and created files with the officers’ names on them,” the minister revealed in an interview with a leading Hindi Daily. “I placed these files in front of them and urged their cooperation in the positive changes being introduced, stating that I wasn’t concerned with past issues but would be compelled to hand over the files to the ACB-EOW. They understood the message. Some of these files, however, contained nothing but blank papers. But those who are guilty are always fearful.”
Minister Choudhary explained the reasons behind the systemic change: “No economy, country, or society has prospered without adopting technology and reform. The system resists reform, hindering progress. People used to struggle with land mutation after registration. Everyone has experienced this. There were numerous complaints about fraudulent activities, such as the sale of land by unauthorized individuals or land being sold despite outstanding loans. Digitalization was necessary to address these issues, and that’s precisely what we did.”
The minister stated that over 2 lakh registrations have been conducted through the Sugam app in the past one and a half years. “The app captures photos of buyers and sellers at the property, linking these images with land records, including longitude and latitude coordinates. This makes it easy to trace and prevent fraudulent resales. Previously, no such system existed.”
“Land records are now being linked with Aadhaar,” the minister said. “Previously, anyone with a fake Aadhaar card bearing the name ‘Shyam’ could sell another person’s land, and the real Shyam would remain unaware. Now, fingerprint and iris scans will be matched with the Aadhaar data in the land records.”
“Now, the complete history of any land will be available online, including ownership details and loan status. Land record copies can be obtained via WhatsApp. Previously, people had to visit the patwari (land record officer) for this information. Land documents can also be securely stored in DigiLocker, and land information is accessible through the Bhuinya app.”
Previously, the public had to make repeated visits to the tehsil office for land mutation, causing significant delays.
“People could register their land, but faced difficulties with the mutation process, having to visit multiple offices,” the minister explained. “Now, mutation will occur simultaneously with registration, eliminating the need to go anywhere else. Mutation documents will be issued directly from the registration office.
“We have also put in place an appeal mechanism to address incorrect mutations. This system already exists in three other states: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Haryana processes mutations after seven days. We are vigilant and ready to make any necessary adjustments,” he said.
Minister OP Choudhary acknowledged the support of Chief Minister Sai in this initiative, stating that it was implemented after more than 50 meetings.
Previously, applicants had to submit mutation requests to the Tehsildar after land transactions. The Tehsildar’s court then handled the subsequent process, which increased the risk of land fraud. Delays in the mutation process caused hardships for landowners, especially farmers. Without proper mutation after inheritance, they were compelled to sell paddy in the name of the deceased and receive payments in the same name, leading to disputes. People had to pay bribes ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 to expedite this process, despite it being officially free.
