Mission Basundhara
Why in News?
• Mission Basundhara was recently in news after the Assam Government launched Mission Basundhara 3.0 and distributed land pattas to over one lakh indigenous landless families and public institutions.
Background
• Mission Basundhara is a flagship land governance initiative of the Assam government aimed at modernising land administration and improving access to land-related services.
• The mission seeks to reduce pendency in land record updation, ensure transparency, and deliver services through online platforms without requiring citizens to visit government offices.
• It is aligned with the broader objective of achieving ease of governance, ease of living, and ease of doing business in land management.
Objectives of Mission Basundhara
• The mission aims to purify and modernise land records through a mission-mode approach.
• It seeks to provide legal land rights to indigenous and landless communities.
• It aims to digitise maps, integrate registration systems, and provide real-time land records to citizens.
• The mission also focuses on reducing bureaucratic delays and improving transparency in land administration.
Phases of Mission Basundhara
Mission Basundhara 1.0
• Focused on correction and updation of land records.
• Addressed issues such as:
o Mutation by inheritance.
o Mutation after deed registration.
o Partition of undisputed land.
o Conversion of Annual Patta to Periodic Patta.
o Reclassification of small agricultural land parcels.
• Benefited nearly 5.82 lakh families.
Mission Basundhara 2.0
• Focused on granting land rights to indigenous communities residing on government land for generations.
• Benefited around 2.29 lakh families, especially from:
o Scheduled Castes (SCs).
o Scheduled Tribes (STs).
o Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
• Introduced services such as:
o Settlement of khas and ceiling surplus land.
o Settlement of occupancy tenants.
o Settlement of hereditary tribal land.
o Regularisation of PGR/VGR land.
o Online payment of land revenue.
Mission Basundhara 3.0
• Focuses on large-scale distribution of land pattas to indigenous landless families and institutions.
• Expands coverage to unsurveyed villages and strengthens legal land ownership.
• Reinforces transparent and structured grievance redressal mechanisms.
Components of the Mission
1. Purification of Land Records
• The mission aims to remove inconsistencies and update ownership details systematically.
2. Polygon Survey of Non-Cadastral Villages
• Surveys are being conducted in previously unsurveyed villages to grant formal land rights.
3. Re-survey of Cadastral Villages
• Existing surveyed villages are being digitally re-surveyed to ensure clear land titles.
4. Integration with DILRMP
• The mission supports the goals of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
• It aims for 100% digitisation of maps and integration of:
o Land records.
o Registration systems.
o Digital maps.
Governance Model
• Mission Basundhara follows a technology-driven governance model integrating digitisation, decentralisation, and citizen-centric service delivery.
• Land services are provided through online portals, reducing physical interaction and administrative delays.
• The initiative demonstrates principles of:
o Digital governance.
o Transparency and accountability.
o Time-bound public service delivery.
o Inclusive governance for vulnerable communities.
Major Achievements
• Nearly 10 lakh land-related grievances have reportedly been resolved since the mission’s launch.
• Surveys have been completed in 769 out of 903 unsurveyed villages.
• More than 30,000 families in these villages have already received land pattas.
• Around 80% of Assam’s land-related issues are estimated to have been resolved.
Way Forward
• Assam plans to address remaining land issues through Mission Basundhara 4.0 and 5.0.
• Future phases may include reclassification of land and settlement of eligible residents in forest villages.