Raghav Chadha Pushes For Blockchain-Based Land Registry, Says 'Land Records In India Are In Utter Chaos'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha urged the government to put all land and property records in India on Blockchain, arguing that a blockchain-based land registry would ensure faster property dispute resolution and enhance compliance in property tax, among other benefits.

“Land records in India are in utter chaos. Ordinary citizens are made to run from pillar to post at registrar offices, while dalals and middlemen capture the system,” the Aam Aadmi Party MP said during the Budget discussion in the Upper House of Parliament on 9 February.

He further explained that adopting blockchain could fix long-standing problems such as the misuse of circle rates for cash transactions, ongoing property tax leakages, growing cases of fake documents and encroachments, and endless disputes over land titles.

Referring to available data, Chadha noted that land-related issues account for about 66% of civil disputes in India, with an average resolution time of seven years, although he did not disclose the source of these statistics.

Chadha raises questions on current practices in land sale

Raghav Chadha questioned the existing system of land sales in India, pointing to deep-rooted structural issues that, according to him, continue to affect property ownership, registration, and dispute resolution.

Citing additional figures, he noted that 45% of properties do not have a clear title, and 48% are already under dispute. He said that India ranks 133 out of 190 in property registration efficiency, adding that even a simple property sale can take two to six months. ⁠Other than that, around 6.2 crore property documents are still pending digitisation, Chadha said.

Chadha demands a National Blockchain Property Register

Taking note of the systemic problems, Chadha made a case in Parliament for a National Blockchain Property Register, pointing out that countries such as Sweden, Georgia, and the UAE have already shown what is possible with such technology. Transactions can finish in minutes, and dispute rates fall sharply, he said.

He said such a system would be time-stamped, tamper-proof, fully transparent, enabling instant title verification, and clean, real-time tracking of every sale, mutation and inheritance.

“India must move from chaos to clarity. From a land record system that creates obstacles to one that prevents them,” he said.

In line with these efforts to modernise India's property ecosystem, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also proposed allowing banks to lend to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), a move expected to lower funding costs, support long-term growth, and potentially enhance returns for unitholders.

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