With the objective of providing simpler, transparent, faster and more convenient services to citizens, the Odisha Government has taken another significant step towards the complete digital transformation of the registration system.
A high-level meeting was held at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairmanship of Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Shri Suresh Pujari to discuss the proposed amendments to the Registration Act, 1908, required for the introduction of Paperless Deed Registration in the State.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said that making the registration system more transparent, simple, expeditious and citizen-centric is one of the key priorities of the State Government. The proposed Paperless Deed Registration system will enable citizens to avail registration services in a more convenient and hassle-free manner. Digital integration of land records with registration records will further enhance efficiency, transparency and ease of service delivery.
It may be noted that the proposed amendments seek to transform the existing registration process into an End-to-End Digital Registration system. Accordingly, amendments to eight existing provisions of the Act and insertion of nine new provisions have been proposed. The amendments will provide legal recognition to Electronic Books, Electronic Signatures and Electronic Seals. Provision will also be made for electronic preservation of registered documents and according legal validity to their electronic copies and records.
The proposed framework will facilitate electronic submission of documents for registration and in specified cases, electronic appearance and electronic enquiry. Provision will also be made for linking registration records with a Unique Property Identification Number (UPIN) or an identification number integrated with government land records.
Under the proposed system, electronic identity verification through Aadhaar Authentication will be facilitated with the consent of citizens. However, Aadhaar will not be mandatory. Identity verification may also be carried out through offline verification, Officially Valid Documents (OVDs), e-Documents and other prescribed electronic modes.
Standard Templates will be developed for registrable documents, along with provision for fully electronic registration of specified categories of documents. Registration Certificates issued electronically will carry an Electronic Signature and Electronic Seal and such certificates will have the same legal validity as their physical counterparts.
The proposed system will enable digital integration of registration records with Land Records, Cadastral Maps, Revenue Records, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Planning Authorities, Financial Institutions and other relevant government systems. Integration among registration records, land records and Mutation Registers will facilitate initiation and completion of the mutation process electronically.
The proposed amendments will also provide a legal framework for preservation and archiving of electronic records, cyber security and Disaster Recovery, thereby ensuring the security, integrity and long-term availability of digital registration records.
Under the proposed e-Registration and Paperless Registration system, standardised Deed Templates will be made available for documents such as Sale Deed, Agreement to Sale, General Power of Attorney and Mortgage of Immovable Property.
The proposed amendments aim to make the registration system more transparent, citizen-centric, faster, secure and fully digital, while ensuring seamless integration between land records and other government databases. With the implementation of the proposed legal amendments, the Revenue & Disaster Management Department is committed to making the State’s registration system more technology-driven, transparent, secure, simple and people-oriented.
