Transmuting Land Registration in Tamil Nadu through Blockchain Technology

Tamil Nadu government’s registration department adopted blockchain technology to combat issues like land grabbing, duplication of land records, and ambiguous land titles. Challenges like insufficient record-keeping, compromised data security, and the proliferation of multiple land web portals turn out to be the causal factors behind GDP loss. The Tamil Nadu government opted for a blockchain ecosystem to store official documents for enhanced protection of data by protecting it from tampering or permanent loss. The land scams in St. Thomas Mount village and Tambaram in Tamil Nadu paves the way for this strategic decision to be formulated. This effort becomes more important, bringing an essential aspect of news value to the government’s proactive approach.

As per the official statement, records dating back to 1865 have been converted into digital format and are now stored using STAR 2.0, an upgraded version of the five-year-old STAR 1.0 software. The Registration Department, in collaboration with Starlink, employed a hash algorithm to securely store data on the blockchain network through a partnership with the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA). The implementation of blockchain will help identify various types of land, promoting sustainability by allowing construction permits to the appropriate land.

Challenges in Conventional system

The conventional paper-based system is susceptible to tampering, loss from natural disasters, and deterioration over an extended lifespan.

The centralised system is characterised by a lack of transparency and susceptibility to bureaucratic delays. The traditional system causes fraud, and the non-transparency paves the way for corruption. Blockchain surfaces as a decentralised solution to tackle such issues and efficiently issue the document on time. Tamil Nadu took the lead in implementing this unalterable distributed ledger technology.

Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy

The Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy 2020 identifies interoperability, transparency and immutability of documents through blockchain. The government will be accountable to the citizens through this immutable technology. Different government departments can work together to reduce the cost by improving efficiency and enhancing data security. It will reduce the workforce of officials and make them more accountable. In the future, Tamil Nadu aims to present itself as the global leader of blockchain technology. A hybrid blockchain platform is capable of fulfilling the motto of better service to the citizens. This peer-to-peer network reduces unauthorised modifications with its hybridity feature.

Registration Record Empowered by Blockchain

Forbes highlighted Georgia’s adoption of blockchain technology to verify property-related documents. Countries like Sweden and Honduras also implementing similar networks. Dubai Land Development asserts itself as the pioneer government in incorporating blockchain for critical tasks. “Blockchain: The India Strategy” delineates India’s interest in the deployment of blockchain technology.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) aims to employ blockchain for user consent registration and to combat spam call messages. In Pune, blockchain has been operational since 2022 for land registration, and Andhra Pradesh takes the lead as the first Indian state to integrate blockchain in two government departments. Namikkai Iniyam, e-Pettagam is the Citizen Locker mobile application introduced in 2023 by TNeGA, the piolet attempt made by the Tamil Nadu government.

Tamil Nadu Empowering Land Registration

The registration department of Tamil Nadu issues certificates that contain the Namikkai Iyakkam logoed certificate, which validates the authenticity of the certificate. The blockchain-stamped certificate guarantees a foolproof certified copy of the authentic document. There are four volumes of registration documents, of which 1, 3 and 4 are digitalised. The digital volumes consist of property details, mortgage transactions, and seller-buyer details. A. R. Rahul Nadh, Chengalpettu collector, cancelled the Pattas and reclaimed land worth 250 crore. The documents were registered and saved in the local servers at the sub-register office, which was tampered causing a land scam in the St. Thomas Mount village case in Tamil Nadu.

In certain cases, natural calamities damaged physical documents, creating chaos. However, with the introduction of blockchain technology, the data is stored and can be shared with relevant stakeholders, including property buyers, government authorities, and financial institutions. It eases the bureaucratic process and subsequently aids the citizens to quickly verify the certificates. The registration department uses the blockchain framework and is entrusted with safeguarding residential property information, home mortgage transactions, and buyer and seller details.

Verifiable Blockchain Security

The documents can be shared with the banks or other departments based on the request of the citizen. The bank or department can only view the specific consented set of information, limiting unwanted data access by the third party. If the data is unmatched, it implies the tampering of data. Through this initiative, the Tamil Nadu government intends to prevent data duplication and data tampering on online platforms. This groundbreaking initiative intends to enhance the security and authenticity of the document.

Future Blockchain Strategies of Tamil Nadu

The “Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy 2020” envisages the formation of a common blockchain network intended for blockchain-oriented e-governance projects. The cross-industry and cross-academia collaborations Blockchain Ecosystem Development forum. Tamil Nadu aims to implement blockchain for e-governance, healthcare, education, identity, cyber security, and agricultural sectors. The state intends to provide citizen-centric services that are faster, more efficient, and more secure.

To Conclude

The registration department of Tamil Nadu has implemented blockchain technology to validate document integrity, enhance transparency, and accelerate the processing speed of registration-related undertakings. Blockchain reduces the need for intermediaries and manual verification processes, thereby streamlining documentation procedures. The absence of a third-party verification system through direct verification minimises the risk of data manipulation and other fraudulent interventions.