BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government is set to decentralize property registration by launching land registration services at tehsil offices across the state starting November 1.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced on Thursday that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will inaugurate the initiative, which will initially cover 44 tehsils, with plans to expand to all 273 by December.
The new system enables citizens to book registration slots online and conduct sale deed transactions at their local tehsil offices, eliminating the need for trips to district-level sub-registrar offices. Existing registration services at sub-registrar offices will continue to operate alongside the new system.
“This initiative represents a significant step towards transparent, citizen-centric governance. It streamlines property registration processes and empowers communities by making services more accessible,” stated Pujari.
This move comes after years of complications and delays in Odisha’s land and apartment registration processes, which have been hindered by legal disputes and procedural bottlenecks.
Over the past 18 months, the state has implemented various measures to address these challenges, making registration more efficient and accessible. A notable obstacle was the registration of partial plots, which often led to litigation due to unclear ownership records and overlapping claims.
In response, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department has introduced a standard operating procedure (SOP) to guide the registration of such plots, reducing ambiguity and legal complications.
New system expected to enhance service delivery
The revenue department has issued a directive preventing sub-registrars from adhering to notifications or orders from other departments, thus reinforcing its authority and ensuring uniformity in registration procedures.
Stakeholders believe the new tehsil-level registration system will alleviate the workload at sub-registrar offices and improve service delivery, particularly in rural and remote areas. “Decentralizing the process is likely to enhance transparency, reduce corruption, and make property transactions more citizen-friendly. We look forward to the rollout of the first phase of this new system,” commented Babaji Mishra, a real estate advisor.
