ULPIN: Unique Land Parcel Identification Number

The Government of India recently launched the Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) scheme in ten states. The system is to be rolled out in the country by March 2022.
Land parcel is nothing but a portion of large area of land.

What is ULPIN?

1. The ULPIN is described as “Aadhaar for land”.
2. The ULPIN is a fourteen-digit Alpha Numeric ID.
3. The number will be used to identify every surveyed parcel of land.
4. The identification number is to be launched based on latitude and longitude coordinates of the land parcel.
5. The pilot testing of ULPIN has been successfully carried out in the states of Haryana, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Sikkim, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
6. The ULPIN has been included in Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP). The DILRMP was begun in 2008 and has been extended several times. The current launch of ULPIN is also under DILRMP. While the programme is to end soon, it has been extended till 2023-24.
7. India is also implementing National Generic Document Registration System. Recently, the system was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

Benefits of ULPIN

1. The ULPIN will help to develop a land bank.
2. The ULPIN system will lead India towards Integrated Land Information Management System.
3. The system will always help to keep the land records up to date.
4. All the property transactions shall be linked and will get established through the system.
5. The number will help in preventing land fraud especially in rural areas. This is because, the land records are outdated in rural areas.
6. Delivery of citizen services of land records through a single window shall be achieved through the system.
7. The system will make sharing of land record data across the departments easier. This will standardize land data and will eventually bring in effective integration and interoperability across departments.

ULPIN and International Standards

It complies the following international standards:

1. Electronic Commerce Code Management Association standard
2. Open Geospatial Consortium Standards

Who recommended ULPIN?

The ULPIN system was recommended by Parliamentary Standing Committee that recently submitted its report to Lok Sabha.

Estimated Cost of ULPIN

1. According to the Parliamentary Standing Committee Report, it would cost Rs 50 lakh per district to create a modern land record structure in each district.
2. The report also said that it would cost Rs 270 crores to combine the land records with the Revenue Court Management System.

Way Forward

After implementing ULPIN, the GoI is to link the land record databases with the banks.

Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme

The DILRMP has three main components as follows:

1. Computerisation of land record
2. Survey or Re-survey
3. Computerisation of registration

The progress of DILRMP is as follows:

1. The basic requirement of computerisation of Land records, that is, Record of Rights has been completed in more than 90% of the country.
2. The Cadastral Maps have been digitised in more than 90% of the country. Cadastral maps are maps that show the extent, value and ownership of land.
3. Computerisation of registration and integration of SROs with Land Records have been completed in more than 90% of the country.