Odisha Simplifies Land Record Corrections with Major Amendment
Tehsildars empowered to update Record of Rights; reform aims to end years-long delays in ownership transfers
Bhubaneswar: In a significant step toward land governance reform, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved key amendments to the Odisha Survey and Settlement Rules, enabling faster correction and updating of historical land records across the state.
The amendment empowers tehsildars to update the Record of Rights (RoR) in the buyer’s name for land purchased before settlement operations — a change that aims to eliminate the need for lengthy appeals before higher authorities.
Until now, individuals who had purchased land prior to the completion of settlement operations often faced years of bureaucratic delays to have ownership officially reflected in the RoR. The process required filing an appeal before the Board of Revenue (BoR) or other Revision Courts, where cases frequently remained pending due to heavy caseloads and procedural bottlenecks.
Officials said the latest amendment would remove these hurdles by decentralizing the power to tehsildars, who are closer to the ground and better equipped to verify and update records promptly. “This step will not only make the process people-friendly but also improve administrative efficiency in handling land-related issues,” said an official from the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
The reform is expected to benefit thousands of individuals who purchased land before settlement operations but are yet to receive their RoR in their own names. Many such buyers, especially in rural areas, have faced challenges accessing government schemes, credit facilities, or even securing legal ownership due to the lack of updated records.
By granting tehsildars the authority to process such cases at the local level, the government aims to deliver faster justice and ensure that genuine landowners are not forced into protracted legal procedures.
Officials emphasized that the amended rules will include checks and balances to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of the new provisions. Verification of ownership and transaction authenticity will remain mandatory before any update is made to the RoR.
“The goal is to strike a balance between efficiency and accuracy. With the new system, citizens will no longer need to travel to higher offices for simple record corrections, but the process will still involve rigorous scrutiny at the tehsil level,” an official added.
The move aligns with the Majhi government’s broader agenda of digitizing and modernizing land administration under initiatives like Mo Khata and BhuNaksha Odisha. These programs aim to ensure every landowner has transparent, updated, and easily accessible records, reducing the potential for land disputes and promoting faster service delivery.
Experts have welcomed the decision, calling it a long-pending reform. “Empowering tehsildars with the authority to update land records will bridge a critical gap in Odisha’s land management system. It will help both urban and rural citizens gain rightful ownership recognition,” said a Bhubaneswar-based land rights activist.
With the amendment now in place, the government is expected to issue detailed guidelines soon for district administrations to implement the revised procedures, ensuring that the new rules take effect seamlessly at the local level.
