Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government is set to overhaul its land settlement system, proposing to conduct land settlement every five years instead of the existing cycle of once in 40 years. The move is aimed at reducing delays in demarcation of land boundaries, updating revenue records and resolving boundary-related disputes.
A meeting to discuss amendments to the land settlement rules was held at the Secretariat under the chairmanship of Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi. The meeting was attended by the Director of Land Records and officials from the Settlement and Revenue Departments.
During the meeting, the Director of Land Records was directed to constitute a committee to examine the existing settlement system and recommend necessary changes. The committee will include retired officers with experience in land settlement and is expected to be formally notified within 10 days.
The committee has been asked to submit its recommendations to the government within one month.
“Land settlement rules in Himachal are being revised, and a committee has been ordered to be formed for this purpose. The committee will be constituted within 10 days and will submit its report to the government within a month. Currently, the settlement process takes years; this duration needs to be reduced. Electronic equipment will be utilised in the settlement process,” Negi said.
Settlement pending for decades
The government has pointed to the long gaps in land settlement across several districts as a major concern. In Chamba, the settlement process has not been undertaken since 1951, while in Mandi it dates back to 1959 and in Kangra to 1970. Similar delays exist in other parts of the state.
The prolonged settlement cycle has been attributed to a shortage of modern surveying equipment as well as inadequate manpower. At present, Himachal Pradesh has only two settlement units, located in Shimla and Dharamshala.
Under the proposed system, the government plans to introduce modern technology to speed up the process and improve the accuracy of land demarcation.
Modern technology to replace conventional methods; Aim to reduce land disputes and visits to offices
The revised settlement system is expected to make extensive use of electronic and modern surveying equipment. Technologies and equipment being considered include rovers, DGPS, RTS/DPS, drones, LiDAR scanners, electronic data collectors and laser distance meters.
The use of such technology will facilitate more accurate identification and demarcation of land boundaries while also helping create digital maps and updated records.
The government intends to place greater emphasis on digitising land maps and boundary records so that changes can be recorded and accessed more efficiently.
Land boundary disputes frequently require people to make repeated visits to Tehsil and Patwar offices. Officials believe that regular settlement and digitally updated land records could help reduce such disputes and make the revenue system more efficient.
The proposed committee will examine provisions in the existing settlement rules that contribute to delays. It will also recommend changes concerning the use of technology, deployment and responsibilities of personnel, survey procedures and methods for preparing land records.
