One of the things we often highlight in this blog is when governments make their records accessible online. We are, of course, always excited to be a part of projects like these, offering automated redaction solutions to ensure personally identifiable information (PII) is protected in the digital file. These are exciting projects regardless of whether or not our software is used as they are all steps toward a more accessible and interconnected future.
We write about these projects a lot because they occur frequently (here’s another one; the town of Manchester, Vermont finished digitizing their records going all the way back to 1874 just this past week!) and that’s because the responsibility of managing these records rests with so many different people in the United States. It’s up to county recorders and, in the case of states like Connecticut and Vermont, town recorders to maintain these documents. In some cases, a state may pass a law directing all of its recorders to act, but for the average register of deeds, there is discretion in how they handle their records.
In India, the 28 states and eight union territories administer their own records, but many of them have been uploading their data to the national government’s infrastructure platform. The program to share records was announced in 2021 as a part of PM Gati Shakti’s Master Plan and recently added 13 states and four union territories to the platform. This leaves only six states and one union territory left to integrate.
The project is part of an effort to encourage confidence in privately funded infrastructure projects where there may have been hesitancy due to unclear ownership records. The improvements aren’t just for developers though, as the increased transparency and upcoming implementation of a national land parcel ID number should bring security and stability to landowners as well. India is a country that has many cases of land disputes which disproportionately affect those with the fewest resources for legal proceedings or proving chain of title. The project should have the added benefit of freeing up time in the legal system and avoiding unnecessary filings.
Regardless of whether they’re happening at national or local levels, the pace of land records digitization projects continues unabated. As you’re considering your own land records digitization project, it’s important to have a grasp on any local, state, or federal laws that might impact your requirements. You should also have a firm grasp on any potential unintended consequences as malicious actors are always looking for an opportunity to strike. That’s why we recommend using automated redaction software to remove any PII before posting. Digitizing records is an important step not just for transparency, but in equity for our citizens as well.
About the Author: Chris Mack
Chris is a Marketing Manager at Extract with experience in product development, data analysis, and both traditional and digital marketing. Chris received his bachelor’s degree in English from Bucknell University and has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. A passionate marketer, Chris strives to make complex ideas more accessible to those around him in a compelling way.