GANGTOK: The Department of Land Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Sikkim, held a state-level event on February 18 to launch the NAKSHA project at the GMC hall in Deorali.
Delay Namgyal Barfungpa, MLA cum Advisor for Urban Development and Food & Civil Supplies Departments, served as the chief guest for the program.
In his address, Barfungpa expressed his gratitude to the department for extending an invitation to participate in this significant program. He conveyed his enthusiasm regarding the launch of NAKSHA, characterizing it as a crucial initiative for the state of Sikkim. NAKSHA presents an opportunity for the residents of Sikkim to update their essential land records, as the state continues to operate on outdated land survey documents that require thorough review.
Barfungpa emphasised the importance of accountability among officials in fulfilling their responsibilities and encouraged collaboration among officials, councillors, and the public. He underscored the necessity of urban planning and advocated for enhanced urban development strategies, incorporating water harvesting and solar technologies. He commended NAKSHA as a vital step towards achieving progressive advancements and encouraged the public to take an active part in realizing these objectives.
Gangtok DC Tushar G Nikhare articulated in his address that one of the most time-consuming tasks encountered by officials in District Offices is the resolution of land disputes, particularly in urban areas where precision is critical and the margin for error cannot exceed one centimetre. He acknowledged the implementation of NAKSHA under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), which has pioneered the practice of maintaining digital records of land holdings.
Nikhare emphasised the necessity of reviewing land parchas to ensure they remain relevant in contemporary times. He underscored the importance of having land records in the public domain, facilitating accessibility from all corners of the globe, and expressed optimism that NAKSHA could effectively bridge this gap.
Furthermore, he pledged to endeavour to minimise the disputes related to land resolution to prevent inconvenience to the public. He also conveyed his commitment to ensuring that the public does not face any inconvenience.
In his address, Uday Prasad, Director of the Survey of India, emphasised the technical features of the NAKSHA project. He discussed the implementation of appropriate equipment and announced the selection of Garuda UAV as the vendor responsible for carrying out the project’s work.
Hem Kumar Chettri, the State Nodal Officer of NAKSHA, provided a concise overview of the NAKSHA Project during his address. He explained that this initiative is a pilot project under the Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme (DILRMP), which has been operational since September 2024. NAKSHA, which stands for National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitation, is an initiative launched by the Department of Land Resources, Government of India.
The primary objective of NAKSHA is to create and update land records in urban areas, thereby ensuring accurate and reliable documentation of land ownership. The project is designed to empower citizens, enhance living conditions, improve urban planning, and mitigate land disputes.
The project will encompass a survey of 19.02 square km within the Gangtok Municipal Corporation area, conducted in collaboration with officials from the Land Revenue Department, the Urban Development Department, and the Gangtok Municipal Corporation.
- IPR Report
