State orders uniform recording of Haryana and central govt land in revenue records

The Haryana government has moved to bring uniformity and transparency in the way public land is recorded in revenue documents. Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Dr Sumita Misra emphasised that ownership and cultivation entries in jamabandi records must follow a standardised format to eliminate ambiguity and strengthen governance. This step builds on earlier directions issued in January and July 2021, which sought to streamline entries for land belonging to the state government, central government, boards and corporations, panchayati raj institutions, and urban local bodies.

Dr Misra pointed out that variations such as “provincial government” in the ownership column often created confusion about actual ownership. To address this, all such entries will now be recorded as “Haryana government” wherever applicable, in line with the Haryana Land Records Manual, 2013. Under the revised framework, land owned by the state government departments will uniformly show “Haryana government” in the ownership column, while the specific department will be mentioned in the cultivation column. For Revenue Department land, including custodian, surplus, or nazul categories, ownership will remain under “Haryana government,” with the cultivation column specifying the Revenue Department and the nature of control.

Similarly, land belonging to the central government will be recorded under “Central Government,” with the department concerned identified in the cultivation column. Properties of state boards and corporations will carry the name of the respective entity in the ownership column, while the cultivation column will reflect their possession. Gram panchayat land will be recorded under panchayat ownership, and land of panchayat samitis or zila parishads will show their institutional names. Urban Local Bodies such as municipal committees, councils, and corporations will also have their precise names reflected in the ownership column for complete clarity.

Dr Misra stressed that corrections in ownership entries must follow the procedure outlined in paras 7.30 and 7.42 of the Haryana Land Records Manual, 2013. She also assured that any existing cultivation entries involving private individuals will not be altered without due legal process, thereby protecting individual rights. This initiative is expected to enhance transparency, ensure legal clarity, and strengthen accountability in the management of public land across Haryana.