Telangana Government Mandates GPS Coordinates for Agricultural Property Registrations to Combat Land Fraud
The Telangana government is taking decisive steps to address the growing concerns around double registrations and fraudulent land sales in the state. The government has proposed making land coordinates mandatory for agricultural property registrations, a move that aligns with the digital survey and mapping provisions under the Bhu Bharathi (Right of Records) Act. This Act, which replaced the previous RoR (Records of Rights) Act in 2020, aims to streamline land records and enhance transparency in property dealings.
In recent years, complaints related to fraudulent land transactions have surged, with unscrupulous individuals exploiting loopholes in the land registration system. Among the most concerning practices is the masking or falsifying of survey numbers to facilitate double registrations or even the sale of government land. This malpractice has not only led to financial losses for landowners but has also contributed to a growing lack of trust in the land registration system.
To curb these issues, the Telangana government has proposed a new measure that will require agricultural properties to include precise GPS coordinates—longitude and latitude—during the registration process. This will help create a robust system to track land ownership and prevent the manipulation of land records. By integrating GPS data into the registration process, the state aims to ensure that each land parcel is accurately identified and mapped, reducing the chances of fraudulent activity.
This initiative follows the provisions outlined in the Bhu Bharathi Act, which mandates the inclusion of a rough land map alongside property registrations under sections 5 and 7. These maps detail the boundaries and extent of non-agricultural properties and are critical for property mutation processes. In line with the new regulations, the government is now moving forward with the integration of GPS coordinates to further validate land records.
M Sunil Kumar, a land law expert and member of the Dharani Committee, explained that this GPS-based registration system, which has been in practice in states like Karnataka for over a decade, will be implemented with the help of licensed surveyors. Telangana currently has around 1,000 licensed surveyors, but the state government plans to double this number to ensure effective implementation.
In addition to this, the Telangana government is working on new rules under the Bhu Bharathi Act, which will be implemented through official notifications. These rules will ensure that the updated maps, including new sub-division details (e.g., 1/2, 1/3, when a land parcel is divided), are reflected in the official land records. This provision is expected to resolve the confusion that often arises when land is sold in pieces, ensuring clarity for buyers and sellers alike.
To further clarify land ownership and division, the state is also implementing a comprehensive land survey and re-survey program under Section 4 of the Act. This survey will be conducted across every village in Telangana, in accordance with the Telangana Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923, and the Telangana Land Revenue Act, 1907. The state government plans to seek financial assistance from the Centre for this ambitious survey project. Sunil Kumar pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh government had already covered around 2,000 villages under its land re-survey initiative, providing a useful precedent for Telangana.
Moreover, the Telangana government intends to assign a unique Bhu Dhar number to each land parcel to improve identification and traceability. This system will also introduce new passbooks with barcodes, which will help combat the problem of fake passbooks that are often used in fraudulent land transactions.These comprehensive measures aim to make land registration more transparent, secure, and efficient, thus reducing the potential for fraudulent activities and ensuring the integrity of land records in the state. By combining modern technology with regulatory reforms, Telangana is taking a significant step towards creating a more reliable and trustworthy land registration system, ultimately benefiting property owners and investors alike.
