• The Department of Land Resources, under the Ministry of Rural Development, will start the second batch of phase 2 of capacity-building programme under the NAtional geospatial Knowledge-based land Survey of urban HAbitations (NAKSHA) programme from June 16, across four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in the country. 

• The first batch of the NAKSHA capacity building programme completed in May 2025 have successfully trained 160 master trainers at NIGST, Hyderabad and 151 ULB officers, at five CoEs respectively.

• In the second batch, 128 ULB-level and district officers have been nominated from around 74 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). These officers will undergo one week of hands-on training in leveraging modern geospatial technologies for effective urban property surveys at the following four CoEs.

• The training aims to equip ULB officers and field staff with the technical and practical skills required to oversee high-accuracy urban land surveys under the NAKSHA programme.

What is NAKSHA?

• With India’s urban population expected to exceed 60 crore by 2031, the need for modern, verifiable and easily accessible land records has become more urgent than ever. 

• The Department of Land Resources has introduced the NAtional geospatial Knowledge based land Survey of urban HAbitations (NAKSHA), a transformative pilot programme under the Digital India Land Records

Modernisation Programme (DILRMP). 

• This initiative represents a groundbreaking step toward modernising urban land records in India. 

• The NAKSHA programme aims to create and update land records in urban areas to ensure accurate and reliable documentation of land ownership. 

• This initiative will empower citizens, improve ease of living, enhance urban planning, and reduce land-related disputes. 

• The IT-based system for property record administration will foster transparency, efficiency and support sustainable development.

• With a financial outlay of Rs 193.81 crore, NAKSHA will be implemented across 152 ULBs over one year, leveraging advanced geospatial technologies and robust institutional collaboration. 

• The Survey of India is the technical partner for NAKSHA programme which is responsible for conducting aerial surveys and providing orthorectified imagery, through third party vendors, to state and Union Territory governments.

• The end-to-end web-GIS platform will be developed by the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation (MPSEDC) and storage facilities will be provided by the National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI). 

• States and Union Territory governments are scheduled to conduct field surveys and ground truthing using the orthorectified imagery, ultimately leading to the final publication of urban and semi-urban land records.

• NAKSHA has been launched across 157 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in 27 states and three Union Territories.

Expected outcomes of NAKSHA

1) Comprehensive Digital Urban Land Records

• Urban land records will be fully digitised and GIS-mapped, ensuring structured, accessible, and transparent data.

• Can be used for disaster management, environmental planning, and smart city development.

2) Reduction in Land Disputes & Legal Clarity

• Clear and updated ownership records will minimise disputes, speed up legal processes, and enhance property rights.

• Can assist in court cases, legal documentation, and historical land data analysis.

3) Faster & More Efficient Urban Planning

• Accurate land data will enable better zoning, infrastructure development, and city expansion with minimal delays.

• Assist in transport planning, housing projects, and sustainable urban growth.

• Helps in efficient disaster management planning.

4) Improved Property Tax Collection & Financial Strength of ULBs

• A centralised, digital tax administration system will enhance Urban Local Bodies’ (ULBs) revenue collection, reducing tax evasion.

• Can support real estate valuation, municipal finance planning, and public service enhancements.

5) Simplified Property Transactions & Credit Access

• Verified land records will make buying, selling, and leasing faster, secure, and fraud-free, while enabling easier loan approvals.

• Useful for banking, mortgage approvals, and land-based investments. 

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)