| News Details |
| Kashmir Farmers Federation Seeks Immediate Safeguards In Land Records Digitisation Process | |
Srinagar, January 29(Scoop News)-The Kashmir Farmers Federation (KFF) has expressed grave concern over the manner in which the ongoing digitisation of land records is being carried out in Jammu and Kashmir, procedural lapses, lack of ground verification and absence of farmer participation may lead to large-scale injustice and long-term disputes.
In a statement issued here today, Chairman Kashmir Farmers Federation, Adv. Abdul Rashid Hanjura, said that agriculture and horticulture form the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, sustaining lakhs of farming families across the region. Any error or ambiguity in land records directly threatens the livelihood, security and dignity of farmers.
Adv. Hanjura said that historically, land settlements in Jammu and Kashmir were first systematically undertaken by Sir Walter Lawrence between 1889 and 1894, under the supervision of the Dogra ruler Maharaja Pratap Singh. Lawrence’s settlement is regarded as a landmark in the region’s history as it introduced a structured and lawful system of land records, crops, and cultivators’ rights, known as Bandobast-i-Qanooni. This reform significantly curtailed arbitrary taxation and exploitation of farmers, brought stability to agricultural practices, and granted rights to cultivators. Lawrence later documented his observations and findings in his renowned 1895 book, The Valley of Kashmir.
He further stated that the process of registration of documents and properties was formally initiated in 1920 by Maharaja Pratap Singh, with the responsibility entrusted to the judiciary under the Jammu and Kashmir Registration Act, 1977 Bikrami. Subsequently, major reforms, particularly under the Agrarian Reforms Act and the Land to Tiller Act, were implemented through meticulous field verification, transparency and active farmer participation. These settlements were firmly rooted in ground realities, leaving minimal scope for ambiguity or dispute and ensuring justice and security for the farmers community.
Adv. recalled that the Record of Rights (RoR) was properly maintained, corrected, ratified and rectified over time, culminating in the landmark Agrarian Reforms of 1971, under which ownership rights were granted to tillers strictly on the basis of verified entries in revenue records.
However, the KFF Chairman warned that the present digitisation drive is being undertaken without completing comprehensive settlement , without physical verification of possession and often by inexperienced or inadequately trained revenue staff, increasing the risk of serious errors.
He cautioned “Once incorrect data enters the digital system, rectification becomes extremely difficult. Errors in digitised records may result in wrongful ownership claims, disputes, litigation and loss of land for genuine cultivators,”.
Adv. Hanjura further pointed out that as per established norms, settlement and correction of land records is mandatory every 30 years, with interim verification exercises. He stressed that digitisation should follow with a proper settlement process first.
In the interest of farmers and public welfare, the Kashmir Farmers Federation has demanded; Immediate suspension of digitisation of land records until a comprehensive and transparent settlement process is completed; Physical verification on the ground, with active participation of farmers, before any data is finalised; Strengthening of revenue staff capacity through training and accountability mechanisms; Public access and grievance redressal to allow farmers to verify and correct records before final digitisation; High-level intervention by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to protect farmers’ land rights.
The Federation has submitted detailed representations to the J&K Financial Commissioner Revenue and has also approached the Hon’ble Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister’s Office, seeking urgent intervention to prevent irreversible damage to land records and farmers’ interests.
The Kashmir Farmers Federation reiterated its commitment to safeguarding farmers’ rights and called for immediate, serious corrective measures on the ground.
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