Land Records: Khasra & Khatauni
Revenue & Panchayati Raj · भूमि अभिलेख: खसरा और खतौनी · 18 facts
Khasra (Field Register): Survey register containing details of each field/plot — survey number, area, soil type, crop, owner, cultivator; maintained by Patwari.
Khatauni (Rights Record): Account/register of landholders; lists all land owned by a person; updated after each transfer of land; revenue records basis.
Khatauni Nakal: Certified copy of Khatauni; required for legal purposes (bank loans, court cases, property registration); issued by Patwari/Tehsildar.
Mutation (Intkal/Dakhil Kharij): Official transfer of ownership in revenue records; mandatory after sale/inheritance/gift; done by Patwari with Tehsildar approval.
Jamabandi: Annual register of rights in Punjabi/Rajasthani tradition; equivalent to Khatauni; updated every 4 years formally; shows ownership, tenancy, encumbrance.
Patta: Land ownership certificate issued to landowners/allottees; important for tribal/forest land rights; used as proof of possession.
Naib-Tehsildar: Issues certified copies of land records; lower in hierarchy than Tehsildar; handles routine revenue work and mutations.
DILRMP (Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme): Central scheme to modernize land records; computerization, web-based, integration of registration with mutation.
Bhu-Aadhaar (Unique Land Parcel Identification Number — ULPIN): 14-digit unique ID for each land parcel based on geo-coordinates; similar to Aadhaar for land.
SVAMITVA Scheme (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas): Launched 2020; drone survey of inhabited land in rural areas; property rights cards.
SVAMITVA benefits: Provides property rights to village household owners; enables bank loans against property; reduces land disputes; 6.2 crore property cards issued (2023).
Fard: Official copy of land record in Punjab/Haryana; can be obtained from Patwari or online portals; crucial for legal and banking purposes.
Patwari responsibilities: Maintain Khasra-Khatauni-Mutation records; conduct crop inspections; issue income/caste/domicile certificates; revenue collection assistance.
Lekhpal: Term used for Patwari in Uttar Pradesh; performs same functions; district has hundreds of Lekhpals; key connection between villagers and government.
RCMS (Revenue Court Management System): Online system for managing revenue court cases; pending cases, orders, hearing dates online; increases transparency.
National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS): Uniform registration system for property; reduces sub-registrar discretion; online verification of documents.
Bhulekh (UP), Bhu Naksha (MP), Dharitree (Assam): State-specific online portals for land records; citizens can view and download land maps and records from home.
Land disputes: India has 66% of all civil court cases related to land/property; poor records, unclear titles, fraudulent mutations are main causes.