To curb land dispute cases, Bihar govt proposes Rs 100 token registration fee

The proposal by the state prohibition, excise and registration department has been sent for Cabinet nod. (PTI photo/File)

To help curb land disputes and related crimes, the Bihar government has proposed to slash the existing circle rate of eight per cent or the government rate down to a token registration fee of Rs 100 in case of land division among family members.

The proposal by the state prohibition, excise and registration department has been sent for Cabinet nod. This was first proposed during Lok Samvad, the Chief Minister’s weekly interaction programme, by a citizen who said that registration fee mostly delays land division and causes conflicts.

According to Bihar police records, land disputes lead to more than 40 per cent of total cognizable offences and about 60-70 per cent of murder cases.

Bihar Prohibition, Excise and Registration Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said, “We have taken a new initiative to reduce cases of fights among brothers in land related cases. If there is division of land among brothers, it is not sale and hence, we will take only token fee of Rs 100. Most personal disputes are land-related.” He said the proposal might be approved in the next Cabinet meeting.

A senior official of the registration department said, “We have already almost implemented online land records to know the real owners of land plots. We have also put in place system of simultaneous registration and mutation to further cut down land disputes. Now, we are looking at financial constraints before a family for land division and its fresh registration. We will introduce Rs 500 token registration fee to encourage fast land division.”

The official said the government has also been working on an online mechanism. “Once there is confirmation on authenticity of land ownership, registration fee can be paid online. The online receipt can be shown at respective circle office to generate original receipt,” said the official.

Former Bihar DGP DN Gautam said, “My policing experience shows how every third case would be land-related. Once registration fee is removed in case of land division, most problems would be addressed. In most cases, land division is deferred because either party would need money for land registration.”

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