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Discussion of the Bhoomi (Land Records Computerization) Project
Posted by: subbu Member of Group STM
Updated: 2004-10-14 14:38:27
Category: IT and Society > Meetings > Announcements
 
Meeting Announcement
Title Discussion of the Bhoomi (Land Records Computerization) Project
Date 09-10-2004
Time 03:00 pm
Place 3354 K.R. Road, Bangalore
Agenda
Dr.Rahul De (IIM, Bangalore) and Dr.Solomon Benjamin (independent researcher) will lead the discussion.
Description
The Bhoomi Project is ostensibly one of the most well-known e-governance projects in India today. As part of the project, all 20 million land records of 6.7 million land owners in 176 taluks of Karnataka. It enables printing of land records as and when required, and by making all modifications online, it ensures that the records provided to the farmers are current. In all taluks where there are Bhoomi kiosks, manual land records have been declared illegal.

Besides being popular within India, the project has received international recognition in the form of the 2002 Silver CAPAM (Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management) Award, and by being a finalist of the Stockholm Challenge Award 2002.

There has been a lot written about the benefits and features of the Bhoomi project, and since its deployment in 2002, there have been moves afoot to deploy this on a wider scale across India, and to leverage the digital information that is now part of the Bhoomi database. Very recently, there was a report in Deccan Herald that the State is trying to raise revenue from the digital information, by sharing data and vital statistics about farmers and the farming community with FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) companies.

Yet, is it all milk and honey with the Project? At the first meeting of our group on July 10th, some critical observations were made about this project. One was that this project has led to a shrinkage in the number of possible land-holding types from 1500 to under 100. What does this mean, and what are the impacts of this? Another more important observation was that this project represents an ideological shift from the social reform focus of land reforms to a purely technological phenomenon. From a purely technical point of view, one person made the observation that Bhoomi has locked itself into proprietary Microsoft software.

No matter what one thinks of Bhoomi, what is probably without doubt is that this project has transformed the landscape of governance. That there is a role for IT in governance is also not too controversial either. But, what shape and form will this take? The Bhoomi project has been, and will continue to be, projected as a model to be replicated, both specifically in terms of land digitization elsewhere, and more generally as a model for, and as an example of the benefits of e-governance initiatives. Therefore, it is imperative to more critically understand this project, its impacts on society, raise warning flags, and take action as appropriate.

To start off this process, Dr.Rahul De (IIM Bangalore), and Dr.Solomon
Benjamin (independent researcher) who have recently done some evaluations and studies of this project, will be leading the discussion on October 9th.

If this interests you, please join us. If you plan to attend, PLEASE let us know so that we have an estimate of the size of the group on that day.

In addition, may we request you to do some minimal prior reading so that we can quickly move into the interesting parts of the issue. There is ample material on the web about this project, and if there are other resources we get hold of, we will share this with you before Oct 9th.

Subbu and Dinesh.
Ph: 51203229; 26762963
***************************************************************************
Some references
---------------

0. Bhoomi - Computerization of Land Records
http://www.bhoomi.kar.nic.in

1. Bhoomi to change Karnataka's urban landscape
Financial Express, Dec 19, 2002
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=24102

2. `Bhoomi' earns kudos for Govt.
The Hindu, Dec 17, 2002
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/12/17/stories/2002121702060400.htm

3. Bhoomi: Online Delivery of Land Titles in Karnataka, India
http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/egov/bhoomi_cs.htm

4. Bhoomi Project: Karnataka mulling value addition
Deccan Herald, July 25, 2004
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/july252004/n6.asp
Directions
Map : http://www.pantoto.com/servlet/ViewPosting?urlid=webs&di_p=935
Address : 3354, KR Road, Bangalore-560070
Ph : 26762963; Dinesh - 9844036961; Subbu - 51203229
Locality : We are located close to the Basavanagudi and Jayanagar area
in South Bangalore

Approx 1.2 KM south of Basavanagudi Police station.
After passing Basavanagudi Police Station you will cross
. Netkalappa circle on your right
. KR Road, South End Road Junction (continue south on KR Road)
. Garadi apartments on your right
. Ragoo's Restaurant on your left
After crossing the above, and on KR Road, you will find vacant sites on both the sides of the road. We are the 3rd house on the right going south
 
 
 


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