Key Points
- Centre approves ₹565.50 crore for DILRMP 3.0 covering 2026 to 2031
- Every land parcel to receive 14-digit Bhu-Aadhaar unique identifier
- 75 Sub-Registrar Offices to be upgraded into Registration Seva Kendras
The Centre launched operational guidelines for the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) 3.0 on Wednesday (10 September), a ₹565.50 crore central sector scheme that will assign a unique 14-digit identifier to every land parcel in India and modernise property registration offices nationwide.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union minister for Rural Development, released the guidelines at a hybrid event at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi. The programme will run from 2026 to 2031 with full central funding, moving beyond the digitisation achieved in earlier phases to create an integrated digital infrastructure for land administration.
The centrepiece of DILRMP 3.0 is Bhu-Aadhaar, officially called the Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN). This 14-digit code will be assigned to every land parcel across the country, establishing unambiguous property identities and reducing scope for fraud. The identifier will be linked to georeferenced cadastral maps, which are official survey maps showing property boundaries and dimensions.
Land Stack architecture
The programme introduces a GIS-enabled Land Stack, an integrated digital framework that brings together different layers of land-related information. This includes geo-referenced cadastral maps, Records of Rights (RoRs), property registrations and court matters through geographic information system interfaces.
Each state will develop its own Land Stack by integrating its land-related datasets and systems through APIs, which are standardised protocols that allow different software systems to share data with each other.
These state-level systems will form the building blocks of a National Land Stack, developed in a federated structure that allows information exchange across states while keeping data ownership with respective state authorities.
Chouhan said the programme would improve ease of living for rural citizens, farmers and property owners. He noted that land in India carries emotional and familial significance, making accurate documentation essential.
“Land is not just a piece of soil; it is the pride of our farmers, the blessing of our ancestors, and the identity of future generations,” the minister said.
Earlier phases
The earlier phases of DILRMP digitised 99.90 per cent of Records of Rights, which are official documents recording land ownership and tenancy details. The programme also digitised 97 per cent of cadastral maps and computerised 99 per cent of Sub-Registrar Offices across the country.
By the numbers
Key figures from this story- ₹565.50 crore
- Central funding for DILRMP 3.0 scheme
- 14-digit
- Bhu-Aadhaar unique identifier length
- 75
- Sub-Registrar Offices to be upgraded
DILRMP 3.0 now aims to integrate these digitised records into a unified system. The government says this will help farmers secure institutional credit more easily by providing lenders with verified land records, and reduce the number of visits citizens need to make to government offices for property-related work.
Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, minister of state for Rural Development, said the new phase would resolve legacy challenges by focusing on spatial accuracy, georeferenced maps and seamless interoperability across departments.
Narendra Bhooshan, secretary, Department of Land Resources, said DILRMP 3.0 marks a shift toward building integrated Digital Public Infrastructure for land administration.
Registration modernisation
Under the programme, 75 high-footfall Sub-Registrar Offices will be upgraded into Registration Seva Kendras. These citizen-friendly service centres will feature digital queue management and improved amenities, modelled on Passport Seva Kendras.
The programme also includes systematic scanning and digital archiving of historical land and property registration records. The government says this will protect inheritance rights and reduce ancestral land disputes by making legacy documents accessible.
A Registration Repository will provide a secure digital framework of registered deeds and encumbrance information, enabling ownership verification, transaction history checks and property due diligence.
The scheme will modernise the Revenue Court Case Management System by linking it directly with land records, aiming to reduce case pendency and speed up mutation settlements. Mutation refers to the official process of transferring property ownership in land records after a sale, inheritance or gift.
The NAKSHA pilot project will be accelerated to create accurate GIS-based urban land records and issue Urban Property Cards.
DILRMP 3.0 will be implemented across all states and union territories through a phased, performance-linked mechanism managed through the Public Financial Management System. Progress will be tracked via an upgraded DILRMP-MIS dashboard overseen by the Project Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee.
Your Questions, Answered
What is Bhu-Aadhaar or ULPIN?
Bhu-Aadhaar is a 14-digit Unique Land Parcel Identification Number assigned to every land parcel in India under DILRMP 3.0. It establishes unambiguous property identity and helps reduce fraud by linking each parcel to georeferenced maps.
What is the budget for DILRMP 3.0?
The Centre has approved ₹565.50 crore for DILRMP 3.0, which will run from 2026 to 2031 with 100 per cent central funding through the Public Financial Management System.
What are Registration Seva Kendras?
Registration Seva Kendras are modernised Sub-Registrar Offices with digital queue management and improved amenities, modelled on Passport Seva Kendras. Under DILRMP 3.0, 75 high-footfall offices will be upgraded to this standard.
What is the Land Stack under DILRMP 3.0?
Land Stack is a GIS-enabled digital framework integrating georeferenced cadastral maps, Records of Rights, property registrations and court matters. States will build their own Land Stacks connected through APIs to form a National Land Stack.
