Panaji: State govt has completed the work of updating land records and issuing urban property cards (UrPro) to landowners, but only 5% of people have submitted their documents for the preparation of these cards.Govt will prepare cards for the 5% who have submitted documents and keep them available for review so these people can check the details and submit objections or suggestions. A govt official said that once the 30-day period is over, the cards will be handed to the landowners.Initially, there was apprehension that the survey was conducted to include some village areas that would be merged into municipal areas and that govt would take properties whose owners were living abroad and had no legal heirs.Over 50 years after the state’s first land survey was conducted in 1972, state govt conducted a land survey to update land records and to provide UrPro to landowners. Govt started a survey in three municipal areas and their surrounding areas — the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), and the Margao and Cuncolim municipal councils. The first survey was conducted manually, but this survey was conducted using digital tools.The Goa (national geospatial knowledge-based) land survey of urban habitations rules, 2025 was notified in the state to commence the survey.“Wherever a survey of lands in any village, town, or city is directed to be made by govt under Section 56, the director, directorate of settlement and land records, shall cause to issue a general notice to the inhabitants of such village, town, or city, informing them about the survey of land therein and calling upon the house owners, mortgagees, residents, and also persons who are residing out of India and other persons having interest in the lands to be surveyed, to give all information to the survey officers appointed for the purpose and to ensure that their lands are measured and rights recorded correctly,” said under secretary (revenue-I) Vrushika Kauthankar, at the time.“For the purposes of determining the right, title, and interest of individuals and bodies in respect of lands under survey, the inquiry officer shall hold an inquiry and consider suggestions/objections received,” said Kauthankar. “Thereafter, in accordance with the decision of the inquiry officer or, where an appeal is filed or a civil suit instituted, in accordance with the final order passed in appeal or civil suit, the draft UrPro shall be prepared.”
