SURVEY AND SETTLEMENT 2017-2018

6.1 History of Survey Directorate

   The Survey and Settlement Directorate is one of the oldest Directorate, in Tamil Nadu stretching back to over 150 years. Land has been till recently the most important factor of production and hence a sound and robust land registry system comprising of accurate measurements and truthful recording of rights, hence, the role of this Directorate has been a prominent one in general administration.

   The first systematic Survey of Land was initiated during the reign of king Raja Raja I of Chola Dynasty. Modern Survey started during British period. Col. William Lambton laid the baseline of 12 kms from St.Thomas Mount to Perambauk (Perumbakkam), Sholinganallur taluk with a 36-inch huge, ½ ton weight Theodolite in 1802 AD and started the Great Trigonometrical Survey.

   The Directorate has undertaken the following Survey Schemes and has completed them successfully.

   All these Surveys were undertaken using Theodolite, Chain and Cross Staff. Many different methods starting from Khasra, Plane Table, Triangles, Ray method, Khalihote method etc have been experimented; but mostly Diagonal and Offset method has been used, because of its accuracy and cost effectiveness.

    accuracy of the erstwhile Surveys compare well with the results drawn through use of high-precision DGPS and ETS equipments. It may be noted that, in the year 1852 itself, Surveyor Radhanath Sikdar measured height of the Mount Everest as 29,002 feet using a older type Theodolite whereas the modern measurements indicate the height as 29,037 feet. This illustrates the robustness of the Survey techniques adopted and the dedication of Surveyors in those days.

6.2 Organisational set up

   The Directorate of Survey and Settlement, located at “Survey House”, Chepauk, Chennai, with effect from 18.07.2001 has two wings viz., Survey and Settlement. All Survey and Settlement schemes and other related works are designed, implemented and monitored by the Directorate. The Central Survey Office is the technical arm of the Directorate and it controls and guides the mapping activities. The District Level Survey activities are carried out by District Survey Offices, each headed by an Assistant Director and manned by Surveyors, Draftsmen, supervising officials and ministerial staff.

   Below the district level, there are Survey sections available in each Taluk office who are responsible for maintenance of survey marks and land records, and for recording subsequent changes in Land holdings and ownership in the relevant registers.

   The number of posts sanctioned in various wings of Survey and Land Records department is given below:-

Table-6.1

Number of Post Sanctioned in Survey and Land Records Directorate

The organisational chart of the directorate is given in Chart– I

6.2.1 Maintenance Work

   Petitions are being received and registered from public through e-Service centres and Registration department regarding Land Transactions in the Survey Wing of Taluk offices and forwarded to the concerned Firka Surveyors and orders are being passed such as fixing up of Field boundary and Patta transfer by the Tashildars on the proposals received after field inspection and scrutinized by the Land Records Senior Draftsman/ Deputy Inspector of Survey of the Taluks Concerned. These are the routine works of Taluk offices.

6.3 Current Schemes

6.3.1 Natham Survey

   Natham Survey was initiated in 1987 all over Tamil Nadu except in The Nilgiris which was taken up in 2007. Natham Survey involves Survey of Natham land i.e., land parcels reserved for habitation and clarified as Natham Poramboke in Revenue Records. In the original Survey and Re-Survey Poramboke Lands had not been Surveyed and the rights of land owners have not been separately determined though Survey and recorded in concerned registers. Therefore, Natham Survey and Settlement work was conducted to determine these rights, recorded them in A-register and issued patta to the land owners therein.

   The Survey work has been completed in all districts. Settlement process has also been completed and patta given except in Ambattur Taluk in Thiruvallur District and The Nilgiris District where it is in progress.

6.3.2 Hill Survey

   Hill Survey was initiated in 1983 in 67 Villages and it has been completed in all the 67 hill villages spread over in 6 districts.

6.3.3 Town Survey

   Town Survey adopts a Survey methodology somewhat different from Cadastral Survey being used for rural areas because of large built up area. Here traverse lines are aligned along the streets, survey is conducted Block by Block and the Land Records are maintained in the form of Ward maps/ Block maps, Town Survey Land Register (TSLR) and Chitta. Therefore, whenever new areas are declared as Municipalities and Corporations by the Government, fresh survey is conducted by adopting Town Survey Method.

   Currently, in Tamil Nadu, there are 12 Corporations and 125 Municipalities. The progress of Town Survey in these Towns is given below.

Table - 6.2

Progress of Town Survey Schemes

6.3.4 Survey using Modern Equipments

   Use of Modern equipments in Survey will ensure Millimeter level accuracy and will also help in creation of digital database of Land parcels and their attributes. This will help the public to identify about their land and know the details without the help of Surveyors and make the process transparent.

   Digitalized Spatial records (maps) can be hosted in GIS environment and this will greatly facilitate land use planning and monitoring. Further usage of Government/ Public land can be monitored through satellite imagery superimposed on digital maps and unauthorised use of such land can be detected easily and preventive measures can be taken.

   Initially, survey using modern equipments [Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) + Electronic Total Station (ETS)] was introduced for town areas to speed up the process of Survey and to minimise the legal disputes which arise due to small measurement errors.

   The list of Urban areas being Surveyed with modern equipments is given below:-

Table-6.3

Details of Urban areas under Survey with modern equipments

6.3.5 Resurvey

   Based on the Announcement made in the Legislative Assembly, Resurvey work using GPS & ETS has been commenced in the following Pilot Taluks.

    DILRMP programme, an expenditure of Rs.10.14 Lakh has been incurred to conduct re-survey in the districts of Krishnagiri, Kanniyakumari and The Nilgiris district.

   After completion of Re-Survey in pilot Taluks, Re-Survey in these 3 Districts will be taken up and completed in 2 years.

   Proposals have been submitted to Government of India to sanction funds for Re-survey of the entire state. On receipt of sanction, necessary work will be started.

   In anticipation of sanction of funds, action is being taken to set up a network of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) and this is expected to be completed by August 2017. With establishment of CORS network, DGPS (RTK) based survey will become faster and more accurate (subject to millimeter accuracy) and it will be possible to complete within 2-3 years.

6.3.6 Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme

   The State has been participating in NLRMP program funded by Government of India to modernize land records. NLRMP was formulated in 2008 by merging two existing Central Sector Schemes viz., Computerization of Land Records and Strengthening of Revenue Administration and Updation of Land Records (CLR, SRA and ULR). NLRMP has been redesigned as DILRMP and the funding pattern has been changed to make it 100% centrally funded with effect from 01.04.2016.

   This scheme aims to provide improved service to the public with the objectives of modernizing management of land records, minimizing scope of disputes on land properties, enhancing transparency in the maintenance of land records and facilitating guaranteed conclusive titles using digital technology and better process control.

6.4 Currently the types of land records that are being created and maintained in the State are listed below:-

6.4.1 In Rural areas

1. ‘A’ Register

 contains Survey Numberwise details of land records for every village. It has details like District, Taluk, Village, Survey No., Sub-division No., Classification of Land, Irrigation Source, Soil Type, Extent, Assessment, Name of the Owner’s, etc.

2. Chitta

 contains Pattadhar-wise details of land records for every village. It also contains the details of extent of lands specific to Pattadhar and details of Land Revenue Assessment for Dry and Wet lands.

3. Field Measurement Book (FMB)

 contains sketches of individual land parcels/ sub-divisions.

4. Adangal

 contains cultivation details.

5. Village Maps

 Village maps contain all survey nos. of villages. They are modified only when the village boundaries are altered.

6. Traverse Survey

 Traverse survey records and related other survey records.

6.4.2 In Urban areas

1. Town Survey Land Register (TSLR)

 This register contains the details of the Town Survey Number–wise particulars correlated with old Survey Nos, Classification, Extent, Door no. and street names, names of the owners and utility of lands, etc.

2. Block Map

 contains Combined Sketches of Town Survey numbers with street names.

6.5 Computerization of Land Records

   To digitize the land records and to offer them to the public online, specific application software and data base have been developed with the help of National Informatic Centre (NIC) as listed below:-

 (i) Tamil NILAM (Tamil Nadu Info-system on Land Administration and Management) (Rural) computerisation of A-Register and Chitta for online management.

 (ii) COLLABLAND, for digitising FMB, Block maps and Village maps and hosting them in the web for viewing, download and online management.

 (iii) Web-based Tamil NILAM (Urban), for online management of URBAN land records such as TSLR, Town A-register and other related records.

   Tamil Nilam has been operational in 269 Rural Taluks and 11 Urban Taluks out of 285 Taluks in the State and action is being taken to bring online of remaining 2 Rural Taluks and 3 Urban Taluks.

   Action is being taken to bring all Natham land records online in Tamil Nilam data base. Data Entry has been completed and verification process is going on. On completion of verification and rectification of errors, the data will be hosted in Tamil Nilam data base Taluk by Taluk.

6.5.1 Computerization of Urban Land

   Since the format of Urban Land Records was different from that of Rural Land Records, data entry of Urban Land Records was taken up after creating appropriate application software. Presently, the data entry and verification of all urban land records numbering around 37.92 Lakh has been completed.

   Data pertaining to all the 10 Taluks in Chennai District and Ambattur Taluk of Thiruvallur District have been brought online. Action is being taken to bring the land records of the remaining 3 Urban Taluks and the urban areas of the State viz. all Municipalities and Corporations online early.

6.5.2 Digitization of Field Measurement Sketches

   Digitisation of Field Measurement Sketches and Block maps (for urban areas) is being done using COLLABLAND Software. So far 51.27 Lakh sketches have been digitized out of the available 55.44 Lakh sketches. The Balance records will be digitized early.

   Simultaneously, action is being taken to host the data with respect to completed Taluks in the Central Server early. With this, the work of creating Sub-Divisions will be greatly simplified. Further, the public will be able to download digitally signed FMS from Internet. In addition, all FMS can be collated to create Village, Taluk and District maps and combined sketches wherever required for official work. This will greatly enhance the quality of land use planning.

6.5.3 Land Records Management Centres (LRMCs)

   Land Records Management Centres/ Modern Record Rooms are being created in every Taluk, with necessary infrastructure to keep safe of manual land records, to digitize them and maintain in digital archive and to furnish copies to public on demand. These centres with public counters are also to be used to provide all services being offered by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. So far, LRMCs have been made operational in 75 Taluks out of sanctioned 78 Taluks. And action is in progress in the remaining 3 Taluks and action is being taken to operationalize LRMCs in another 76 taluks. Further, Government of India has been addressed to sanction funds for 100 more LRMCs in 2017-18.

6.6 Training Cell

   ‘Training Cell' has been created at the Survey Training Institute, Orathanadu, to impart training in Modern Survey and digital mapping. For this purpose, Electronic Total Stations (ETS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and necessary software, and training materials have been supplied to the Training Cell.

   Apart from the Survey Training Institute at Orathanadu, steps have been taken to create a new Survey Training Centre in Chennai to impart advanced Training in Modern Surveying and Mapping with modern facilities at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.45 Crore.

6.6.1 Preparation of Village/ Taluk/ District Maps in Tamil

   Preparation of Village/ Taluk/ District Maps in Tamil Language is in progress at the Central Survey Office, Chennai. So far, all the District and Taluk maps have been vectorised. Preparation of maps in Tamil language for all villages is in progress.

   The Village/ Taluk/ District maps will be made available for public on completion of digitization and validation. These maps will also be made available online for downloading through internet. Publishing of Maps in Tamil Language will be of great use to the village people. The other departments of the Government can also download the maps for their requirements.

6.7 Benefits of Online System

 The online management of land records have been greatly beneficial to the public in the following manner:

  People can apply for online Patta transfer through a Common Service Centre (CSC) situated nearer to them, instead of going to Taluk offices.

 Computer-generated acknowledgement is provided immediately to the applicants, and are being accounted for.

 Applications are instantaneously transferred to concerned officers for action taken on their applications and the current status can be ascertained by the public through the website tamilnilam. tn.gov.in/Revenue/login.html.

 Applicants are being informed of the action taken on their application through SMS to their registered mobile.

  Digitally signed Patta can be downloaded from the website without going to Taluk offices.

 The online land record management system has also benefitted the administration as narrated below:-

 With Computerisation of workflow, work load of the officials is significantly reduced

 The performance at various levels can easily be monitored by higher officials, resulting in better work turn over in the field.

 Since, the applications are received through online, there will be no omissions and greater accountability has been brought in.

 The Management Information System (MIS) reports generated online enable the controlling officers from Collectors to other downwards Officers to monitor the process, to analyse problems and to take appropriate action.

6.7.1 Integration of Land Records with Registration process:

   After computerization of Land Records and bringing it online, the Registration authorities are now accepting transaction of land properties only after confirming the ownership details of land by referring to the land records which are made available on the web.This avoids fraudulent transactions.

   Action is being taken to facilitate automatictransfer of Registered Land transaction particulars to Tamil Nilam database for further action &on change of record of rights in A-register and Chitta.

6.8 Measures taken to improve the functioning of the Directorate:

6.8.1 Office cum Residential Quarters to Firka Surveyors

   Based on the Announcement made by the Honourable Chief Minister in the Legislative Assembly under rule 110, Office cum Residential Quarters for Firka Surveyors have been constructed in 100 Firkas. This will enable the public to easily approach the Firka Surveyors for assistance.

   As per the G.O.(Ms) No.164, Revenue [SS-II] Department, dated 04.05.2017, action is being taken to construct 50 more Office cum Residential Quarters to Firka Surveyors at an estimated cost of Rs 7.68 Crore.

6.8.2 Laptops to Higher Officers and Firka Surveyors

   Laptops have been provided to 1,140 Firka Surveyors, with a view to bring the Digitized Field Measurement Sketches into usage and to facilitate online management of land records. Further 50 Laptops with 3G data cards have been provided to the higher officers.

6.8.3 Provision of Sim Cards with CUG facility

   To facilitate easy communication related to Patta transfer and other official work, 1,600 SIM Cards under CUG (Closed User Group) facility have been provided to Firka Surveyors, Inspectors, Deputy Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors of Survey.

6.8.4 Filling up of Vacancies

   Government have taken steps in this direction and 1,459 Field Surveyors and 485 Draftsman have been recruited through TNPSC from 16.05.2011 to till date. Moreover, action is being taken to fill up the 340 posts of Field Surveyor and 291 posts of Draftsman.

6.8.5 Modernization of photo zinco press

   The photo zinco press of Central Survey office is being modernized at a cost of Rupees one Crore. Machinery worth Rs.42.34 Lakh have already been installed and the remaining work will be completed shortly. The press is being renovated after nearly 93 years and once renovated and modernized it will be greatly improved to provide maps of different themes on demand to other departments and public.

6.8.6 Additional Building for preservation of records

   In order to preserve the old precious survey records such as block map, village map, Taluk map and District map available all over the State, an annexure building has been constructed and inaugurated at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.20 Crores in the ‘Survey House’ campus.

6.9 Awards for Survey Department

6.9.1 Award to the Department 'Best Practices Award' 2016 for Online Patta Transfer System

   In recognition of the services rendered and initiatives taken by the Directorate, Honourable Chief Minister presented 'Best Practices Award' for the year 2016 along with a cash reward of Rs.2.00 Lakh in the 70th Independence Day celebrations held on 15.08.2016. This award has been given for having computerized all land records and for implementing Online Patta Transfer System to make available updated land records online for the public and for facilitating viewing and downloading of ‘A’ Register and Chitta anytime from anywhere.

6.9.2 CSI–Nihilent e-Goverance Award

   Further, this Directorate has been presented with the prestigious CSI-Nihilent e-Governance Awards 2015-16 by Computer Society of India for the better implementation of “AMMA Land Records Online Mutation for Title Transfer” on 9th December 2016.

6.10 SETTLEMENT

   Historically, the primary source of revenue of the Government was from land. The Government used to collect a share of the produce of land. As collection in kind was cumbersome, the commuted money value of such called Assessment, is being collected. The procedure adopted to determine such assessment is known as Settlement of Land Revenue. Under the prescribed procedures, the assessment of land is determined with reference to quality & fertility of the soil, sub-divided into sorts and grades based on its properties.

   Initially, land tax was collected through landholders like Zamindars/Inamdars. As land holders used to collect high rates of taxes, not always based on the productivity of soil, Ryotwari Settlement was introduced in the year about 1879-80 onwards to scientifically assess the land tax and to collect it directly from Ryots (farmer). At the time of independence, most of Tamil Nadu was covered by Ryotwari settlement, but certain regions were having zamin estates and Inams where the zamindars/ Inamdars were still collecting taxes from Ryots and paying to Government. To reduce the burden of ryots and to do away with the class of such landholders altogether, several landholder Abolition Acts have been enacted. The Settlement Work had been completed under most of these Acts and the work appeals is pending under the following Acts:

 1. The Tamil Nadu Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 (Tamil Nadu Act XXVI/1948)

 2. The Tamil Nadu Inam Estates (Abolition and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu Act 26/1963).

 3. The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu Act 30/1963).

 4. The Tamil Nadu Gudalur Janmam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1969 (Tamil Nadu Act 24/1969).

   Under Inam and Minor Inam Abolition Acts, the landholders were abolished and survey and settlement work were undertaken. As on today, the settlement work has been completed in all the areas except in the following villages.

6.10.1 The Tamil Nadu Inam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu Act 26 /1963)

   The Act provides for the acquisition of rights of land holders in Inam Estates in the State of Tamil Nadu and the introduction of the ryotwari settlement in such estates. The Settlement work has been completed in all the Villages taken over under this Act except in the following villages covered by court cases.

6.10.2 The Tamil Nadu Minor Inam (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu Act 30/1963)

   The Act provides for the acquisition the rights of the Inamdars in minor inams in the State of Tamil Nadu and the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in such Inams. The Settlement work has been completed in all the estates taken over under this Act except the following villages covered by court cases.

   In respect of all these villages, settlement process was delayed because of court cases filed by respective Estates holders/ Inamdars. Now, except in the case of Ramachandran Koil Pattu village, legal hurdles have been cleared and the Survey and Settlement work has commenced.

6.10.3 The Tamil Nadu Gudalur Janmam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1969 (Tamil Nadu Act 24/69)

   An action has been initiated under this Act for the acquisition of rights of the Janmies in Janmam estates of the Gudalur and Pandalur Taluks in Nilgiris District and for the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement. Out of total extent of 80,087.74 acres of Janmam land, 45,101.46 acres have been settled so far and an extents of 34,986.28 acres remain to be settled. The process has been delayed and not completed, due to filing of a number of Civil Appeals and Writ Petitions by some of the leaseholders and janmies before the High Court and the Supreme Court. As judgements have been pronounced in most of the cases now and the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the Tamil Nadu Act 24/1969, action has been taken to complete the settlement process.

   The details of the settled area so far are as follows:-

   With regard to the balance area for an extent of 34,986.28 acres for settlement, the High Court has directed the Settlement Officer/District Revenue Officer to consider the petitions received under section 8,9,10 of the Tamil Nadu Act 24/69. The present stage of the petitions is as follows

   After disposal of such petitions, the Settlement Officer will complete the process of settlement of these 34,986.28 acres.

6.10.4 Schemes

6.10.4.1 Natham Settlement

   The Government, in the notification published in G.O.(Ms)No.1971, Revenue Department, dated 14.10.1988, have ordered for the performance of settlement of work in village Natham sites/ house sites and also in the agricultural lands used for non-agricultural purposes, in the entire State except for Chennai old city. Accordingly, this work had been completed in all the villages except in the 51 villages of the Nilgiis district and 7 Villages of Thiruvallur disrict, where the work is in progress.

6.10.4.2 Revenue Follow Up Work in Hill Villages

   Subsequent to the completion of hill survey, the Revenue Follow-up Work had been ordered to be commenced in 67 Hill Villages in the State. The work had been completed in 61 hill villages and it is in progress in 6-villages.

6.10.4.3 Revenue Follow-Up Work in Corporations and Municipal Towns

   The Government have ordered for the commencement of Revenue Follow-up Work in all the Municipalities and the Corporations of the State (except Chennai old city) in order to update the registries in Revenue Records, to issue pattas to land holders and to prepare and hand over the land records for the use in Revenue Administration.

   Accordingly, among the 12 Corporations and 125 Municipalities in the State, the work had been completed in 10 Municipalities. The work is in progress in 5 Corporations and 63 Municipalities with 75 Special Tahsildar units. The work in the remaining Municipalities/ Corporations will be started in stages by redeploying units from those Municipalities/ Corporations where work is completed. Under this scheme, from 2011 to 2017, 9,01,468 pattas have been issued.

6.11 Survey of Wakf Properties

   The survey of wakf properties has been undertaken throughout the State by all the regular District Revenue Officers who have been designated as Additional Survey Commissioners of wakfs for this purpose, within their jurisdiction/districts, under the control and supervision of Director of Survey and Settlement who has been designated as Commissioner of survey of Wakfs. The work has been completed in 23 districts so far and the work is in progress in remaining districts.