Patna: The Bihar government has tightened rules governing the issuance of offline Land Possession Certificates (LPCs), limiting the facility exclusively to land acquisition cases until December 31. The move, announced by the revenue and land reforms department, effectively bars the use of offline procedures for all general and personal applications.
In a directive issued to district authorities, the department said complaints had been received from several revenue circles about continued issuance of offline LPCs despite earlier restrictions. Officials described the violations as serious and called for immediate corrective steps to ensure adherence to the revised norms.
Mona Jha, deputy director in the department, has written to all district magistrates instructing them to enforce the order strictly at the local level. She has asked them to issue clear directions to circle officers and ensure that no offline LPCs are processed outside the permitted category of land acquisition cases. Any official found breaching the order, the directive states, will face disciplinary action.
The department clarified that while the earlier deadline for offline issuance had expired, the facility has now been extended for one year strictly for land acquisition-related matters. Beyond this exception, the LPC system is to function entirely through the online mode, in line with the state’s push for greater transparency and digitisation in land administration.
An LPC is a key document in a range of administrative and financial transactions. Banks require it when processing agricultural loans, including applications under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, to verify ownership and cultivation rights. It is also often mandatory for accessing government subsidies on seeds, fertilisers and farm equipment.
The certificate plays an important role in land sale and purchase transactions, serving as proof of possession and ownership. It is equally crucial in compensation claims arising from crop losses due to floods, droughts or other natural disasters, and is considered strong documentary evidence in land disputes before courts.
In addition, LPCs may be required in certain judicial processes, including property-backed bail bonds, and for obtaining services such as electricity connections for agricultural pumps. By restricting offline issuance, the state government has signalled its intent to streamline and digitise land records while allowing limited flexibility for land acquisition proceedings.
