Duplication in J&K land record digitization draws criticism; confusion grows under new audit rules
Srinagar, Nov 6, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir government’s ongoing land audit and digitisation process has come under public scrutiny following reports of duplication of work and expenditure between two record computerisation projects, one executed earlier by M/s RAMTech Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and another recently re-launched under the Web HALRIS (Haryana Land Records Information System) platform.
Official sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the Revenue Department had already completed a comprehensive digitisation of land records several years ago through M/s RAMTech under a government contract, which included data scanning, indexing, and mapping of ownership details. However, the same exercise has now been re-initiated under the Web HALRIS system, resulting in significant duplication of cost and raising questions over accountability.
“The new system is repeating the work that was already finalised and certified earlier. This means more money, more manpower, and the same data being uploaded again,” said an official familiar with the project.
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Public reaction to the overlapping initiatives has been mixed. Landowners say the new audit drive has created confusion and mistrust due to errors in the online records. “Our ancestral land, which has been in our family for generations, now appears as State property on the digital portal,” said a landowner from Budgam.
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They have urged the government to conduct on-ground verification before approving digital entries. “Villagers are not trained to navigate online systems. Physical verification must come first, not after discrepancies appear,” said a landlord.
Legal experts, too, have expressed concern. Advocate Shabir Ahmad, a property law specialist, said that while digitisation is essential, the absence of a strong grievance redressal system risks alienating small farmers. “Without district-level review committees, even minor clerical errors could lead to serious ownership disputes,” he warned.
Officials in the Revenue Department maintain that the Web HALRIS platform will help ensure transparency and uniformity in record management, but they didn’t comment on the duplication concerns. [KNT]
