The Odisha government has decided to introduce a fully paperless and cashless land registration system across all registration offices in the state to make property registration more transparent, efficient and citizen-friendly.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Digital Registration Process to Replace Physical Paperwork
Under the proposed system, buyers and sellers will no longer have to visit registration offices to submit applications.
Once both parties agree to a land transaction, the complete application process will be carried out online. Applicants will only need to appear before the registering authority on the day of deed execution for identity verification and other mandatory legal formalities.
The initiative is expected to reduce paperwork, speed up service delivery and minimise delays in property registration.
Registration to Become Completely Cashless
The government has also decided to discontinue the existing provision that allows cash payments of up to ₹15,000 towards registration-related charges.
Going forward, all payments associated with land registration must be made through digital payment modes, ensuring greater financial transparency and accountability.
Mandatory Online Upload of Documents
As part of the paperless registration process, applicants will have to upload all required documents online before registration.
The mandatory documents will include:
- Identity proofs of the buyer and seller
- Land or plot details
- Encumbrance Certificate (EC)
- Other prescribed registration documents
The digital document submission process aims to improve efficiency while reducing manual verification and paperwork.
Verification May Be Done by Any Registration Office
To strengthen transparency and impartiality, the state government is considering a system under which registration documents can be digitally verified by any registration office in Odisha instead of being restricted to the office where the property is being registered.
Officials believe this mechanism will help streamline verification and improve administrative efficiency.
Only Registered Professionals Can Submit Documents
The government has proposed that only registered deed writers or advocates will be authorised to prepare and submit registration documents.
During the online application process, applicants will be required to provide the details of the deed writer or advocate handling the case.
Advocates, stamp vendors and deed writers participating in the registration process must also be registered with the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
SOP to Be Issued Soon
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari directed the department to finalise and notify a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) at the earliest to ensure smooth implementation of the new registration system.
The review meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Arvind Padhee, Inspector General of Registration P. Anvesha Reddy, and senior officials from the Revenue Department, NIC and OCAC.
The new initiative is expected to make Odisha’s land registration process more transparent, faster and technology-driven while reducing opportunities for corruption and improving ease of doing property transactions.
