Patna: Buying and registering land in Bihar is set to become a more digital process, with the state government introducing a paperless registration system aimed at reducing paperwork, improving verification and making services more accessible to citizens.
The new system brings several stages of land registration online, including document processing, verification and digital record management. It also incorporates GIS-based site inspections and online verification of land details before transactions.
The initiative is being integrated with Bihar’s wider digital land administration system.
Four Services Launched In July
Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary launched four key services at the District Registration Office in Vaishali (Hajipur) on July 11: home registration, online verification of land details, paperless registration and GIS-based site inspection.
A mobile registration unit was also introduced for senior citizens aged 80 and above. The age threshold was subsequently reduced, making home-based registration available to citizens over 75 years of age.
Under the facility, eligible senior citizens will not need to travel to a registration office. Mobile registration units will provide the service at their homes.
Land Details To Be Verified Online
One of the key features of the new system is the ability to verify the status and details of land online before a transaction.
The government plans to combine digital records with GIS-based verification and site-specific information to make the process more transparent.
The aim is to reduce the possibility of transactions being carried out on the basis of incorrect or misleading information and, in turn, help reduce land-related disputes.
GIS To Strengthen Site Verification
The registration process will use Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to integrate information about a property’s location with available digital records.
The government says the system will make site verification more systematic and technically robust while strengthening safeguards for land buyers.
Documents To Be Sent Via WhatsApp And Email
Registered documents will also be made available digitally through WhatsApp and email.
The facility is intended to reduce repeated visits to registration offices and allow citizens to access their registration documents more easily.
The Registration Department already provides online services including uploading soft copies of documents, booking appointments and downloading soft copies of registered documents. The new system seeks to take these services further by making the registration process entirely digital and paperless.
Fewer Office Visits, Less Paperwork
The government expects the new system to reduce the time and effort required for land registration.
The key changes include:
- reduced dependence on physical documents;
- online verification of land details;
- GIS-based technical site inspections;
- fewer visits to registration offices;
- digital access to registered documents;
- home registration for citizens aged over 75; and
- greater integration of land and registration records.
Linked With BiharBhumi Services
The paperless registration system is being linked with the wider digital land administration framework already available through the BiharBhumi portal.
The portal provides services including digitally signed land records, online mutation, online payment of land revenue, revenue courts, e-measurement, land-use conversion, doorstep delivery of revenue maps, Land Possession Certificates (LPCs), Jamabandi records, land maps, mobile/Aadhaar seeding and services related to special land surveys.
The government views the integration of registration, land records and revenue services as a step towards creating a more comprehensive digital land administration system.
Government Pushes Digital Land Transactions
Land is among the most important assets for households in Bihar, making transparency in ownership, records and transactions a significant concern.
The government says the use of technology is intended to make registration less dependent on paper, faster, more accessible and more transparent, while reducing the need for citizens to visit government offices repeatedly.
Chaudhary has described the paperless registration system as a significant step towards “Digital Bihar”, with the stated aim of making government services more accessible to citizens.
