Guwahati: The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in Assam has become the first tribal council under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to fully digitise its land records, officials said.
Over 15 lakh land documents, including texts and maps across the 8,970 sq. km region, have been digitised, ending decades of manual record-keeping.
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The BTR, administered by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), comprises five districts in northern and western Assam: Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Tamulpur, and Udalguri.
Officials said the digitisation drive, launched in 2023, aimed to enhance transparency in land ownership and simplify customary landholding patterns.
Dhiraj Saud, BTC Secretary, said the project involved ground-level surveys, cross-verification with old revenue records, and integration with Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to ensure precise land boundaries.
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The move aligns with the BTR government’s Digital India Mission initiatives, including the e-office system, and strengthens Mission Bwismwuthi 2.0, which provides land rights to indigenous landless families.
In its first phase, the mission offered 14 land-related services and processed over 2.11 lakh applications, benefiting 47,000 families, including 9,000 small tea growers and rubber farmers.
Officials highlighted that the new digital platform allows citizens, farmers, and landowners to check land status through kiosks, mobile applications, and web portals.
“Digitisation ensures transparency, reduces chances of corruption, forgery, and conflict, and prevents land disputes that often cause social tension,” said a Revenue Department official.
The BTR’s successful adoption of technology-driven governance has now become a model for other Sixth Schedule councils in the north-east, showcasing how infrastructural and administrative challenges can be addressed effectively.