Could a citizen of Jammu and Kashmir expect that the dream of dawning of such days would not be much far away when one could necessarily not be required to visit Government offices and departments for some urgent works, obtaining of papers, certificates and documents and get it right in one’s choicest place preferably at one’s place of routine activity, home, office, business establishment and what not. When one normally thought about obtaining vital revenue records in respect of one’s own land from the Revenue office, one had to shudder just by thinking how many days, even weeks and how many visits to the office, Patwari concerned, Tehsildar and the like, one had to undertake and go through to get the same. That is where, the way and the levels of delivery system vis-a-vis the quality of “Governance” was needed to be caused to be revamped and made attuned to the expectations of the people.
The concept of “Good Governance”, therefore, could no longer remain a hollow or an academic concept for studying in educational institutions only but attempted to be made popular and universal across the country after taking certain innovative and reformist measures. That has since been made, now, an ingredient part of the policy of the UT Government in respect of providing to the citizens more convenience, facilities, ease and cutting down on botheration, time and money. Since “Rome was not built in a day”, changes, therefore, are taking place gradually and slowly but in a pointed, planned and target oriented manner in respect of providing ”Good Governance” to the citizens in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
So, in that context, taking a major initiative in respect of Good Governance, the UT Government has already made the necessary preparations in respect of digitization of land records and decided to see that the benefits reached citizens individually by issuing a true certified copy of land records in the form of a land pass book. It may be recalled that in late January this year, the UT Government of Jammu and Kashmir had notified Jammu and Kashmir Land Pass Book Rules. These Rules particularly specify that these pass books are in fact a certified copy of the record of rights , ownership or titles and other public record for all intents and purposes to be produced in courts and financial institutions which include Banks too. The delivery mechanism has now actually been activated as the process of Revenue Department slated to issue these Pass Books to the landholders, has actually started with effect from February 19 from the districts of Jammu and Srinagar covering 21 and 7 Tehsils respectively. An innovative step, indeed, as also a reformist measure much needed in the entire UT Revenue Department, is deserving commendation.
These Pass Books have been decided to be issued in three languages-Urdu, Hindi and English and what is noteworthy is participation of various stake holders like representatives of PRIs, landholders, farmers, financial institutions and others where at different locations , land pass books are to be issued. Since lot of hassles were encountered by landowners especially with agricultural land holding in respect of establishing the authenticity or correctness of the particulars of land, all those problems stand automatically addressed and resolved since there is absolutely no scope of any manipulation or tampering with these pass books which are serially numbered and are digitally coded with QR code page wise. The core of the digital facility lies in the particulars and records of the land of an individual owner to be generated online and thus not visiting any office or individual employee by an applicant landowner. The land pass book is a vital document needed for grant of advances facilities by the Banks to the landowners in addition to meeting the requirements of receiving financial aids and ex-gratia from the Government and its agencies in cases of the landowners, particularly agriculturists, suffering on account of some unforeseen natural acts of adverse nature.
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