T.N. bans manual processing of patta transfers 

Tamil Nadu government digitizes land records for 'Grama Natham' lands, making patta transfer applications online for transparency and efficiency.

The Tamil Nadu government has banned with immediate effect manual issue of pattas and processing of patta transfer applications pertaining to ‘Grama Natham’ lands. The process has been made entirely online in 146 taluks across the State where Natham land records have been digitised and ported to central server.

Official sources said that digitisation of land records in the remaining 167 taluks would be completed and moved to the State Data Centre by April 30 this year, after which the process of accepting applications for patta or ownership transfer would be completely online through TamilNILAM, a web-based software developed by the National Informatics Centre.

After the scheme was successfully implemented in pilot taluks — Manapparai in Tiruchi district and Kinathukkadavu in Coimbatore district — land records were ported to the central server in a phased manner. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin formally launched the Natham Online Patta Transfer scheme in Mayiladuthurai on March 4 this year.

The exercise was initiated after the government issued orders for prescribing a common nomenclature over the classification of Natham lands that are to be brought online, to accurately reflect private and government ownership of lands for Natham land records throughout the State, barring Chennai. Land records related to rural (agricultural) and urban areas were already brought online using TamilNILAM software.

In a communication to all Collectors, the Director of Survey and Settlement P. Madhusudhan Reddy said that the procedure for manual submission of patta transfer applications at taluk offices, wherever Natham land records were brought online, stood withdrawn with immediate effect and the process should be done online through TamilNILAM. Also, issuance of manual ‘adangal’ and ‘chitta’ documents should be stopped, and be processed online.

Mr. Reddy asked the Collectors to inform all Tahsildhars not to accept any physical/manual patta transfer applications where the new scheme was implemented, and create awareness among the public on the initiative that would help them access land records online.