Why in news?

The Union Rural Development Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, launched the NAKSHA initiative (NAtional geospatial Knowledge-based land Survey of urban HAbitations).

What’s in today’s article?

• NAKSHA: A City Survey Initiative
• NAKSHA: Addressing Urban Land Record Challenges
• NAKSHA: Scope, Funding, and Implementation
• How the Survey Will Be Conducted
• Conclusion

NAKSHA: A City Survey Initiative

• NAKSHA is a city survey initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
• It aims to modernize urban land records and boost transparency in property ownership and transactions.
• It is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development.
• Scope and Implementation
  • Focuses on mapping towns and cities for better land governance.
  • Launched as a pilot project across 152 urban local bodies in 26 states.
  • Applicable to cities with an area < 35 sq km and population < 2 lakhs.
  • The pilot phase will be completed within a year.
• Objectives and Benefits
  • Creates a comprehensive geospatial database for urban land records.
  • Uses aerial and field surveys integrated with GIS technology.
  • Enhances land governance, streamlines property records, and supports urban planning.
  • Improves decision-making, ensures efficient land use, and facilitates smoother property transactions.

NAKSHA: Addressing Urban Land Record Challenges

• Through NAKSHA and the National Geospatial Mission, the government aims to enhance urban planning, governance, and infrastructure development.
• Need for Urban Land Record Updation
  • While rural land records have improved, many cities lack proper maps even today.
  • Except for Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa, most states have outdated or unstructured land records.
  • Poor land records lead to inefficiencies in governance and taxation.
• Government Initiative and Budget Announcements
  • First proposed in the Union Budget 2024, focusing on GIS mapping of urban land records.
  • Objectives outlined in Budget 2024:
    • Digitization of urban land records.
    • IT-based system for property administration and tax management.
    • Strengthening financial position of urban local bodies.
  • Reaffirmed in Budget 2025, emphasizing:
    • Urban sector reforms in governance, municipal services, and planning.
    • Launch of the National Geospatial Mission under PM Gati Shakti to modernize land records and infrastructure planning.

NAKSHA: Scope, Funding, and Implementation

• Coverage and Scale
  • India has 7,933 towns covering 1.02 lakh sq km (Census 2011).
  • NAKSHA will cover 4,142.63 sq km in its initial phase.
  • After the pilot, the government plans to expand it to 4,912 urban local bodies.
• Funding: 100% centrally funded initiative.
• Expected Benefits
  • Provides comprehensive digital urban land records.
  • Reduces land disputes and facilitates faster urban planning.
  • Improves property tax collection and simplifies transactions.
  • Enhances access to credit by streamlining ownership records.

How the Survey Will Be Conducted

• Use of Drone Technology
  • Aerial photography using two types of cameras:
    • Simple cameras.
    • Oblique angle cameras (5 cameras with LiDAR sensors).
  • Mounted on drones with 5 cm resolution, much sharper than satellite imagery.
• Three-Stage Survey Process
  • Drone Survey & Data Collection
    • Select survey area and create a flight plan.
    • Drones capture images, from which data is extracted.
  • Field Survey & Data Verification
    • Ground verification of property tax, ownership, and registration records.
    • 2D/3D models are created, and draft land ownership details are published.
  • Public Review & Finalization
    • Claims and objections are reviewed.
    • Grievance redressal is conducted.
    • Final maps are published.

Conclusion

NAKSHA aims to modernize urban land records, making them accurate, transparent, and efficient for governance and development.