Clear Ownership Entries to Enhance Accountability and Prevent Misinterpretation
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana has taken another significant step toward strengthening transparency and accuracy in land administration, with Financial Commissioner Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra reiterating the importance of uniform nomenclature of Government lands in revenue records.
Addressing officials here today, Dr. Misra emphasized that standardizing ownership and cultivation entries in jamabandi records will eliminate ambiguity, enhance clarity, and ensure better governance. The move follows earlier instructions issued by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management in January and July 2021, aimed at streamlining entries related to land owned by the State Government, Central Government, Boards and Corporations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, and Urban Local Bodies.
Dr. Misra highlighted that inconsistent entries such as “Provincial Government” or other variations in the ownership column of jamabandi often led to confusion regarding actual ownership. She directed that all such entries be uniformly recorded as “Haryana Government” wherever applicable, in strict compliance with the Haryana Land Records Manual, 2013. She stated that the reform is not merely procedural but is aimed at ensuring transparency, legal clarity and accountability in public land management.
Explaining the revised framework, Dr. Misra said that land belonging to State Government departments will uniformly reflect “Haryana Government” in the ownership column, while the concerned department will be clearly mentioned in the cultivation column to avoid ambiguity. In the case of Revenue Department lands such as Custodian, Surplus or Nazul categories, the ownership will remain under “Haryana Government,” with Revenue Department and proper specification as in the cultivation column of jamabandi to indicate the exact nature of control.
Similarly, land owned by the Government of India will be recorded under “Central Government,” with the respective department clearly identified in the cultivation column. For properties owned by State Boards and Corporations, the ownership column will mention the name of the concerned Board or Corporation, while the cultivation column will reflect possession of these entities accordingly. Gram Panchayat lands will be recorded under Panchayat ownership with corresponding cultivation entries, and lands belonging to Panchayat Samitis or Zila Parishads will carry their respective institutional names. Urban Local Bodies properties i.e. those of Municipal Committees, Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations will also reflect the precise name of the concerned body in the ownership column, ensuring complete clarity in records.
Dr. Misra underscored that all corrections in ownership entries must be made strictly in accordance with the procedure prescribed under Paras 7.30 and 7.42 of the Haryana Land Records Manual, 2013. She also clarified that any existing entry in the cultivation column reflecting private individuals will not be altered without following due legal process, thereby safeguarding individual rights.