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The Bihar government has decided to extend the deadline for completing the statewide land survey by one year, with the new completion target set for July 2026. This move aims to reduce inconveniences for the public and ensure greater transparency. The survey aims to digitise land records, resolve disputes, and provide a clearer picture of government-owned land. The exercise is already nearing completion in 20 districts, with the remaining areas set to begin soon. The state is also supporting the central government's urban land survey initiative, 'NAKSHA,' and working on identifying land donated during the Bhoodan Andolan for redistribution to the landless.
The Bihar government has decided to extend the deadline for completing the ongoing statewide land survey by one more year. This move, according to an official statement earlier this week, is intended to ease the difficulties faced by the public due to the exercise. Dipak Kumar Singh, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Bihar Revenue and Land Reforms Department, shared that the department has decided to push the completion date for the survey and land settlement from July 2025 to July 2026. The decision aims to minimise inconvenience to citizens and ensure the survey is conducted transparently. Advertisement
The survey's goal is to create digitised land records to help resolve disputes permanently, with the ACS emphasising that the exercise would also provide the government with a clearer understanding of its land holdings across the state. This is particularly important for allocating land to the landless and for various infrastructure projects.
As of now, the survey is nearing completion in 20 of Bihar's 38 districts, covering a total of 5,657 villages. The remaining 18 districts, which include 37,384 villages, are set to begin the survey soon. Dipak Kumar Singh further noted that land disputes have historically been a significant cause of crime in the state. In fact, earlier more than 60 percent of crime-related incidents were linked to land disputes. However, this figure has now reduced to 46.69 percent, indicating the positive impact of the survey in reducing land-related conflicts.
The land survey initiative has been a long-standing focus of the Nitish Kumar government, particularly given the challenges that land disputes have posed to law and order. The last cadastral survey in Bihar was conducted back in 1911, during British rule. This survey, which took place over a century ago, highlights the long gap in updating land records in the state. The current survey seeks to address this gap, bringing the system into the digital age and making land ownership information more accessible and transparent.
Additionally, the central government has introduced the 'National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA)' programme, which focuses on urban land records. Bihar has recommended six urban local bodies - Sonepur, Buxar, Rajgir, Tarapur, Banka, and Dehri - for participation in this initiative. The updated and transparent urban land records will not only streamline land resource management but also help in policy-making and urban planning.
The Bihar government has also begun efforts to identify land donated during the 'Bhoodan Andolan' movement, initiated by Gandhian Vinoba Bhave. A three-member commission set up in 2017 to verify the authenticity of the donated land submitted its report last year. The government is now working on locating and redistributing this land to the landless. According to the report, out of the 6,48,593.14 acres donated, 2,56,664.88 acres have already been distributed, with 1,04,958.7 acres deemed suitable for further distribution. This historic effort is part of the state's ongoing land reform initiatives.
Finally, the ACS highlighted the Bihar government's move to take over 15,358 acres of land previously owned by the princely estate of Bettiah Raj, one of the largest zamindaris in the state. The 'Vesting of Bettiah Raj Properties Act' 2024 has been notified, and the Board of Revenue has prepared the draft rules for this Act. Once approved by the Cabinet, the process to take over the land will begin. This is yet another significant step towards reorganising land ownership and addressing past injustices related to land distribution in the state.
The extension of the land survey deadline by the Bihar government is a strategic move aimed at addressing public concerns and ensuring a smooth and transparent process. The survey, which is progressing across various districts, not only aims to digitise and resolve land disputes but also provides the government with valuable data for land distribution and infrastructure development. Alongside this, the state is supporting national initiatives for urban land management and redistributing land from the Bhoodan Andolan to the landless. With these efforts, the government is working towards creating a more organised and equitable land distribution system.
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