ULPIN or The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number scheme
ULPIN (Unique Land Parcel Identification Number) scheme was implemented in 10 states in early 2021 and by March 2022, it will be running across India. Many consider the system to be akin to an Aadhaar number for plots of land. Each plot will be given a unique 14-digit ULPIN number. Plots will be identified based on their longitudinal and latitudinal positions. It will also be dependent on geo-referenced cadastral maps and surveys made by the Department of Land Resources in 2020.
By identifying every plot of land and giving it a unique ID, the government hopes to reduce instances of land fraud particularly in parts of rural India. The land has not been surveyed for more than a century in some Indian states. In many cases, since the last survey, plots of land have been subdivided but the subdivisions have not been recorded. Giving every plot of land a unique ID could help combat the confusion created by outdated land records that lead to disputes.
The scheme is a part of a larger plan of DILRMP or the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme. This programme started in 2008. The government plans to extend it till 2023 to 24 to meet its targets. Creating a land record room in every district will cost the district Rs 50 lakhs. Once the land records have been created, integrating them with the Revenue Court Management System would cost a further Rs 270 crore.
Benefits Of The ULPIN Scheme
By giving each plot a unique identifier number, the ULPIN scheme will be able to create an Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS). This will contain information on land ownership, land use, boundaries, land value and much more. States may also include state-specific needs. Some of the benefits of this would be:
Transparency of land records
Easier to update land records
Delivery of citizen services for land records using a single window
Linking The ULPIN Number With Aadhaar Authentication
Landowners do not have to link the ULPIN number of their plots with their Aadhaar ekyc. Choosing to do so will be voluntary at this stage. Those choosing to do so must pay a fee of Rs 3 per record. The seeding along with authentication of the landowner’s Aadhaar data will cost ₹5 per record. Thus, it is affordable for all landowners.
Criticism For The ULPIN Scheme
Government critics fear that launching this scheme in a hurry could create problems for people in rural parts of India and indigenous people who do not have titles to their land. It could also further marginalize people who do not have access to the internet. We also need to take into consideration the land used seasonally by pastoral groups.
A Final Word
The ULPIN scheme is a big step towards the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP). When linked with Aadhaar authentication, it will make proving land ownership easier and minimize land record based disputes. The process has begun and if all goes according to plan, all land in the nation should be given a unique ID by early 2022. Once complete, the digital records will act as input for other segments like Finance, Agriculture and Disaster Management.