Bhoomi breaks ground the online way

As part of its efforts to help Karnataka’s farmers, the state government has implemented a unique e-governance project called Bhoomi. This was one of the first such projects to be launched by a state government and is also the first project nearing completion. This computerisation of land records was started way back in 1991-92. This project was sponsored by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and was implemented by the Department of Revenue, Karnataka and NIC’s Karnataka state unit. In fact NIC’s state unit has fully designed and developed the Bhoomi software. The state has around 67 lakh owners of rural land, spread across 177 talukas in nearly 30,000 villages. Together, they account for 20 million records of rights, tenancy, and certification.

This fully online system carries out ‘mutations’ on land record data. The state-of-the-art fingerprint biometric authentication facility also ensures a foolproof authentication system and will also enforce the concept of non-repudiation. Apart from this, there is also a facility to scan the field mutation order passed by revenue authorities and the notices served on the public. It also synchronises with the regular field work done by village accountants and revenue inspectors. The government is also planning to set up a land records centre in each taluk office for public interface.

Once this project is in place one expects it to bring in a lot of benefits to farmers across the state. This facility will help in easy and quick availability of land records on demand from the land records centre. Even farmers can lodge a request for mutation to their land records and will be provided with an acknowledgement slip and a number for further reference. Apart from this, landowners can also check the online status of the mutation request from the land records centre or touch screen kiosks. These touch screen kiosks also provide information related to the land records system.

Apart from farmers, this system is also going to help administrators to a great extent. Through this system, it will be easier for administrators to maintain and update land record documentation. The system generates tamper-proof land record database to reduce litigation and social tension, and also provides support for development programmes with the help of valuable land record data to departments like agriculture, industries and planning. Apart from these, the Bhoomi project will facilitate easy preparation of annual records like land revenue and help in monitoring government land and in preventing encroachments.

As far as judicial administration is concerned, this project will provide online connectivity to courts that can make use of land record information for adjudicating various civil disputes related to ownership, possession and cultivation. Even financial institutions can make use of this project. It provides online connectivity to financial institutions for easy sanction of farm credit to
farmers.