Centre to Launch Unique ID Number for All Plots of Land by 2022

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The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) 

What is it?

• ULPIN is a 14-digit unique identification number to every plot of land in India
• It can be described as “the Aadhaar for land”, a number that would uniquely identify every surveyed parcel of land 
• The land records database will then be integrated with revenue court records and bank records, as well as Aadhaar numbers on a voluntary basis
• The identification will be based on the longitude and latitude coordinates of the land parcel, and is dependent on detailed surveys and geo-referenced cadastral maps, according to a presentation the Department made to States in September 2020.
• This is the next step in the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), which began in 2008 and has been extended several times as its scope grew

 Its Importance 

• It would help prevent land fraud, especially in the hinterlands of rural India, where land records are outdated and often disputed. 
• These components will enhance the service deliveries to the citizen of the country and will also function as inputs to the schemes of the other sectors like Agriculture, Finance Disaster Management etc
• The single source of truth can authenticate the ownership and which in turn can end the dubious ownership of land.
• Through this, the Government lands can be easily identified and protection of the land from shabby land transactions will be seamless. 
• Standardization at data and application level will bring effective integration of various stakeholders and interoperability across Governments. 
• Data analytics will be easier and this is in compliance to international standards like Standard Electronic Commerce Code Management Association

Hurdles 

• Non-Uniform land regulations: Though DI-LRMP provides a common framework for reporting the progress of land record management by states/UTs, the heterogeneous nature of regulations/guidelines for land record management in India makes the progress non-uniform.
• Lack of skilled manpower: One of the major roadblocks in ensuring continuous updation of land records is the lack of skilled manpower in land record departments in states.
• Poor inter-departmental synergy: Another dimension relates to the poor synergy across land record departments
• Unavailability of Online Mutation: The swiftness of the process of updating ownership as the result of the registration of a transaction is commonly known as mutation. The information obtained from all the state/UT sources in this regard revealed that no state/UT has the provision for online mutation on the same day as the registration.

Digital india Land Records Modernisation Programme(DILRMP):

• The Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme (DILRMP), previously known as the National Land Record Modernization Programme (NLRMP) was launched in 2008.
• The purpose of the programme is to digitize and modernize land records and develop a centralised land record management system.
• The programme is the amalgamation of two projects namely Computerisation of Land Records(CLR) and Strengthening of Revenue Administration and Updating of Land Records(SRA & ULR).

Components of the programme:

• computerisation of all existing land records including mutations (or transfers);
• digitization of maps, and integration of textual and spatial data;
• survey/ resurvey and updating of all survey and settlement records including creation of original cadastral records (record of the area, ownership and value of land) wherever necessary;
• computerisation of registration and its integration with the land records maintenance system and
• development of core Geospatial Information System (GIS) and capacity building.

Land Reforms

• Land reforms mean equitable redistribution of land with the aim of increasing productivity and decreasing poverty. 
• It refers to the redistribution of land from the few who have to the many who are landless or own far too little.

Colonial Era 

• Before Independence, there were three major systems of land tenure: Zamindari System, Mahalwari System and Ryotwari System.
• The leased-in area constituted nearly 35 percent of the total operated area in 1950-51. Most of the leases were unwritten and tenants did not have legal security of tenure. 
• The rents varied from 50 per cent to 70 per cent of gross produce. In addition, tenants were often asked to provide free labour to landlords.
• After Independence therefore, it became necessary to undertake some land reforms measures for removing the feudal character of the agrarian economy and paving the way for rapid agricultural growth with social justice.

Land reforms since independence

India has seen four ‘experiments’ since independence to redistribute the landholdings. They are:

• Reforms from ‘above’, i.e., through legislation.
• Reforms from above from the government coupled with peasant mobilisation; like in Kerala and West Bengal where land was seized and redistributed; and also to improve the conditions of peasants.
• Naxalite movement and also the ‘land grab’ movement.
• Reforms from ‘below’ through voluntary donations by landlords and peaceful processions by farmers like the Bhoodan movement and the Gram Dan.