Property Card issue: No order yet; confusion persists

• Mandatory property card postponed

Mangaluru: No official order has come from the government regarding the temporary pullback on the mandatory use of property card for property registration the residents in the city are being subjected to confusion in this backdrop. The confusion persists because the previous order by the government is still in effect and hence property card is mandatory for property registration for now.

Hence, even if the property owners insist that the rule making property card mandatory has been withdrawn, the revenue officials agree otherwise. They clearly state, “no order in this regard has come to us” and thus the people are in a predicament.

Due to some confusion on the distribution of the property card, the state land measurement, land reforms and settlement department commissioner Manish Mudgal had informed the district administration on Wednesday to temporarily postpone the mandatory property rule. But, the government had sent a written order to the registration office regarding the rule making property cards mandatory. Now, only after the written order regarding the temporary postponement of the rule comes from the government will land registration be possible in the earlier method. Until then, the present method will continue. The temporary order is expected to reach the department on Monday.

Presently, the temporary postponement of the mandatory property card rule is only for property registration. However, property card is necessary for land conversion within the city limits. Those wanting to apply for land conversion must essentially hold property card, inform the officials.

Increase in essential facilities

The basic infrastructure at the property card distribution office has been increased and hence the action to increase the pace of the distribution process has been taken. The number of computer systems have been increased to 50. Along with the existing scanners, a new scanner has been installed with the capacity to scan 60 papers per minute. The number of printers have been increased to five. 30 surveyors are involved in measuring the plot and collection of documents. Besides 18 people are working on data entry.

There are 4 tahsildars and 2 supervisors. Earlier, where they used to give 40 to 50 cards are now distributing 80 – 90 cards, informed the officials.

1,50,581 properties

Of the survey conducted of the 1,50,581 properties in Mangaluru, documents of 80,638 properties have been collected and the work on collecting the documents of the remaining 70,000 properties is in progress. Presently, 36,000 draft cards and 25,000 final cards have been distributed.

Never ending confusion

Property card process was started in 2012 in Mangaluru and since the beginning it has been marred with confusions. Since, the rule making property card mandatory was not definite on the government level, it reached 2018 limping. The government sent an order effective from December 1^st 2018 making property cards mandatory. Btu due to the work pressure at the governments IT department, it was postponed to January. But, because of the persisting confusion with the loan wavier scheme and property card distribution, it was again postponed and made mandatory from Feb 1^st. Now the rule which is in effect since Fb 1^st has again been postponed.

Postponed to May 15^th?

According to sources, the department have postponed the rule on mandatory property card for land registration within city limits to May 15^th. The present slow pace of property card distribution is mainly because of server issues. As per the available system at Mangaluru office, there is opportunity to only give draft property cards to property owners. The final card must come from the central serve at Bengaluru. The process has been delayed due to problem in the central server. It is being said that because of this, problems are being faced at the registration office as well. Therefore, the department has decided for a separate server on the central level dedicated for property card distribution and it is expected to be ready by May 15^th.

Order in a couple of days

“The state commissioner has already given the direction to temporarily postpone the rule on mandatory property card for land registration and the official order is expected in a couple of days. The order does not specify the postponed period. Property card distribution work is in progress and will be continued,” informed Prasadini, assistant commissioner, land measurement department

Special Report