Land management automation project eyes to reduce hassles

The government has taken a project for the automation of the country’s land management system, aiming to reduce hassles and complexities in land registration, transfer and land-related cases, reports UNB.

The project titled, ‘Land Management Automation’ and taken by the Land Ministry, has been sent to the Planning Commission for its approval. After having the Planning Commission’s nod, the land management system of the whole country will be done through a computerised system through implementation of the project, according to an official document.

Besides, the document says, a pilot project, ‘Strengthening Access to Land and Property Rights to all citizens of Bangladesh’, is going on in this regard.

Under the pilot project, AC (Land) office, sub-registry office, settlement office, and two union land offices of Monirampur upazila of Jessore district have installed ‘Integrated Digital and Land Record System (IDLRS)’ software to bring the land management system under the computerised system. Once the system is automated, landowners or buyers will not need to visit more than 10 government offices for documents. All the documents will be uploaded to a database, to which the government officials and people, in some cases, will have the access to it.

Through this project, a plan has been taken to simplify the land management through countrywide land mutation, collection of land development tax, khas land and sairat mohal (water bodies) management, office and finance-management.

The government has also a plan to resolve the problems of land management through digital system. To this end, three projects have been taken so far.

The projects are—Strengthening governance management project (Component- B: Digital Land Management System), Digital land record, survey and maintenance project, and National land zoning project.

The Land Ministry has taken an initiative for the quick disposal of the cases in land courts, according to the official document.

A programme titled ‘Web based land appeal case management application system’ is under implementation at the Land Appeal Board.

Once the programme is implemented, it will be possible to provide services to people through digital process and it will be possible to settle down the cases quickly apart from reducing time and hassle.

Once the land digitisation projects are completed, the government officials sitting at their offices will be able to see any transformation of lands, including infrastructure and ownership.

Bangladesh’s land management has been divided in terms of authorisation, which remains as a problem. The Land Ministry looks after the survey and record issues, while the Law Ministry handles the registration process.

As per the National Land Zoning Project, Bangladesh has a total land surface of 12.31 million hectares, of which presently 7.85 million hectares are under agriculture. It accommodates more than 152.25 million people. This amounts to an average of 27 percentile of land and 17 percentile of cultivable land per head.

Besides, due to population growth, this share of land per capita is shrinking every year making the resource base for agriculture, forest and wetlands more vulnerable and marginalised. For example, in 1983-84, there was 20.0 million acres of total cultivable land, which dropped to 17.5 million acres in 1997.

There are many driving forces compelling people in Bangladesh to overexploit the natural resources like land. The main ones are the poverty with rapid population growth, improper land use and ineffective implementation of existing laws and guidelines.

Competition for diverse uses of land resources, the tremendous increase of population, natural and man-made hazards, economic opportunities and ecological hot spots call for distinctive and sustainable land management arrangements through the development of Land Use Based Zoning in the country.

The government realises this need, and formulates more policies, strategies and planning documents making special reference to different land issues and its integrated management, the document mentions.

Land management automation project eyes to reduce hassles

The government has taken a project for the automation of the countrys land management system, aiming to reduce hassles and complexities in land registration, transfer and land-related cases, reports UNB. The project titled, Land Management Automation and taken by the Land Ministry, has been sent to the Planning Commission for its approval. After having the Planning Commissions nod, the land management system of the whole country will be done through a computerised system through implementation of the project, according to an official document. Besides, the document says, a pilot project, Strengthening Access to Land and Property Rights to all citizens of Bangladesh, is going on in this regard. Under the pilot project, AC (Land) office, sub-registry office, settlement office, and two union land offices of Monirampur upazila of Jessore district have installed Integrated Digital and Land Record System #40;IDLRS#41; software to bring the land management system under the computerised system. Once the system is automated, landowners or buyers will not need to visit more than 10 government offices for documents. All the documents will be uploaded to a database, to which the government officials and people, in some cases, will have the access to it. Through this project, a plan has been taken to simplify the land management through countrywide land mutation, collection of land development tax, khas land and sairat mohal (water bodies) management, office and finance-management. The government has also a plan to resolve the problems of land management through digital system. To this end, three projects have been taken so far. The projects areStrengthening governance management project (Component- B: Digital Land Management System), Digital land record, survey and maintenance project, and National land zoning project. The Land Ministry has taken an initiative for the quick disposal of the cases in land courts, according to the official document. A programme titled Web based land appeal case management application system is under implementation at the Land Appeal Board. Once the programme is implemented, it will be possible to provide services to people through digital process and it will be possible to settle down the cases quickly apart from reducing time and hassle. Once the land digitisation projects are completed, the government officials sitting at their offices will be able to see any transformation of lands, including infrastructure and ownership. Bangladeshs land management has been divided in terms of authorisation, which remains as a problem. The Land Ministry looks after the survey and record issues, while the Law Ministry handles the registration process. As per the National Land Zoning Project, Bangladesh has a total land surface of 12.31 million hectares, of which presently 7.85 million hectares are under agriculture. It accommodates more than 152.25 million people. This amounts to an average of 27 percentile of land and 17 percentile of cultivable land per head. Besides, due to population growth, this share of land per capita is shrinking every year making the resource base for agriculture, forest and wetlands more vulnerable and marginalised. For example, in 1983-84, there was 20.0 million acres of total cultivable land, which dropped to 17.5 million acres in 1997. There are many driving forces compelling people in Bangladesh to overexploit the natural resources like land. The main ones are the poverty with rapid population growth, improper land use and ineffective implementation of existing laws and guidelines. Competition for diverse uses of land resources, the tremendous increase of population, natural and man-made hazards, economic opportunities and ecological hot spots call for distinctive and sustainable land management arrangements through the development of Land Use Based Zoning in the country. The government realises this need, and formulates more policies, strategies and planning documents making special reference to different land issues and its integrated management, the document mentions.