Decode Politics: Why Nitish govt is in a spot over first Bihar land survey in 114 years

Grappling with specified a situation, the Nitish authorities has present relaxed its July 2025 deadline for the initiative. “There is nary deadline. The process volition proceed till everyone updates their onshore records,” said Deputy CM and BJP person Samrat Choudhary. The authorities had initially sought to wrapper up the process earlier the coming Assembly polls owed successful October-November adjacent year.

On Saturday, authorities onshore gross curate Dilip Jaiswal said the survey would beryllium suspended for 3 months to springiness radical clip to implicit their paperwork. “We are giving 3 months clip to radical to bash their onshore paperwork. Till then, the survey would stay suspended. We volition commencement the survey aft 3 months erstwhile radical are afloat acceptable with their papers. We took the determination aft realising people’s problems,” Jaiswal said.

What is the Bihar onshore survey?

The onshore survey is seeking to representation retired and update existing onshore records covering 45,000 villages crossed the state. It entails caller measurement of onshore boundaries – which has been a perennial root of struggle among stakeholders – and the verification of onshore ownership too the instauration of integer maps for reference.

Broadly, determination are 3 categories of onshore surveys – cadastral surveys, which representation idiosyncratic plots of land; topographical surveys, which representation carnal features and boundaries; and gross surveys, which are meant to update onshore records for gross assessment.

With the exercise, the authorities authorities aims to streamline and update onshore records, which could assistance code long-pending spot disputes. The statewide survey is besides meant to code land-grabbing cases arsenic the precise process would beryllium who are the rightful claimants of the disputed properties.

Given that an estimated 70-80% of execution cases successful Bihar stem from onshore disputes, the authorities is besides viewing the survey arsenic a semipermanent solution to crimes.

The main nonsubjective of this workout is to amended onshore gross medication by updating onshore rents and long-standing taxation dues, which would adhd to authorities exchequer. While it would trim disputes implicit onshore ownership, which person overburdened the civilian courts crossed the state, it would besides facilitate easier entree to recognition for farmers.

What is the process for the survey?

The authorities has sought documentation from landowners arsenic portion of the survey. The cardinal documents required for the intent are khatiyan (land ownership documents showing the spot chain), khata (land accounts), and a integer oregon carnal representation of the onshore showing its determination with boundaries. Land owners tin use for verification online by uploading these papers.

“It is the authorities that has been reaching retired to people. Most documents are disposable connected our websites. One conscionable needs to get updated onshore receipts and onshore registry papers successful lawsuit of caller purchases. Our officials are holding camps to assistance retired people,” said Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, the authorities onshore and gross minister.

What issues person arisen retired of the survey?

In galore cases of ancestral properties, determination has not been part of onshore for 2 to 3 generations, starring to caller disputes done the survey process.

In the cases involving farmers, galore person failed to wage onshore taxes connected clip and person had outstanding dues for 10-15 years.

In respective cases, radical bash not person the archetypal onshore records, specified arsenic khatiyan. For badlen (exchanged) land, galore bash not person written impervious of the exchanges, immoderate carried retired 40-50 years ago.

Officials person besides had to contend with deciphering documents containing the Kaithi script, utilized successful immoderate older paperwork.

Despite the government’s claims of having simplified the process, a ample conception of radical reported that they person had to marque respective rounds of the section ellipse offices to get their khatiyan and different documents.

Why is Opposition criticising the survey?

From Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav to Congress person Premchandra Mishra to Jan Suraaj caput Prashant Kishor, the critics of the onshore survey person flagged assorted issues faced by the nationalist successful the verification process, including their complaints astir section officials allegedly asking for bribes successful speech for documents. “One conscionable needs to spell to a ellipse bureau to cognize however radical are made to suffer,” Tejashwi said.

Kishor, who has been successful the last limb of a statewide circuit earlier motorboat of his governmental enactment connected October 2, said the onshore survey was a bully thought but could “end up pitting member against brother” for those seeking the part of properties done the survey process.

How has the ruling JD(U)-BJP confederation responded?

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “Only those who person illegally go landowners could beryllium nervous. The rightful onshore claimants request not worry.”

State BJP vice-president Santosh Pathak called the survey a “landmark step” by the government. “People whitethorn good beryllium facing immoderate difficulties but erstwhile onshore records are digitised, 1 would realise its benefits,” helium said.