Belagavi: The government has taken the initiative digitalization Of property records in all urban local body (ULB). However, the process has become slow due to various reasons including shortage of staff, work pressure, lack of funds and technical glitches. Due to this, people still have to struggle to obtain original documents related to property.
To preserve property records in ULBs of districts, the government implemented e-property software Project by digitizing property records. Implementation of e-property software in ULBs will curb destruction of old documents, sale and transfer of the same property to more than one person and illegal changes in property details.
It was expected that digitization would facilitate the preservation of more than 18 lakh property records in Belagavi district, provide timely services to the people and ensure transparent administration.
However, due to various obstacles this has not been possible so far. In most of the districts of the state including Belagavi, people are still struggling due to non-availability of original property documents.
Revenue department officials say that at present, registration, transfer, division, sale and consolidation of property accounts within the purview of ULBs are being handled by receiving applications through Sakala centres.
Apart from Belagavi City Corporation (BCC), the district has municipal councils at Nippani and Gokak. According to Revenue Department officials, till now 70 percent of the original records of properties in these three ULBs have been digitalized.
Sidagouda Modagi, president of the Indian Farmers Society, said that Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda keeps talking about e-property software. “This software should be a boon for property owners. Documents related to each property will be safe in DigiLocker. There is no scope for tampering with property documents. People can view the property details on the website itself. No need to visit Not there.” offices at times, but it should be implemented practically at hobli and village level, and steps should be taken to create awareness about it,” he said.
Corporation and Municipal Council officials say that it is better to implement property software after surveying all the properties and digitalizing them. He said that tax collection would be facilitated only when the properties are correctly identified.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan said that digitalization of properties is going on in local bodies. “A review will be conducted to know the status of digitization of assets,” he said.
Reshma Talikoti, Commissioner, Revenue Department, BCC, said that it is true that tax collection will be easier only when the properties are properly identified and digitized. “Action will be taken in the near future to survey the properties. However, the priority now is tax collection of outstanding properties,” the official said.