Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta launched the Ladakh Land Records Web GIS Portal (https://landrecords.ladakh.gov.in) on December 29, developed by the Revenue Department, marking a significant milestone in the Union Territory’s journey towards transparent, efficient, and technology-driven governance.

Addressing the gathering, the Lt Governor said that digitisation of land records is a cornerstone of good governance, as clear, updated, and authentic records protect citizens’ rights and support effective development planning and policy-making. He emphasised that Ladakh is modernising land records through advanced technology to ensure direct benefits to the public.

Kavinder Gupta expressed satisfaction that land records for revenue villages in Ladakh are being brought onto a digital platform in a phased manner. He said the initiative would reduce the need for frequent visits to government offices, enhance transparency, minimise land disputes, and strengthen public trust in the administration. He also highlighted that modern survey techniques are being used to accurately capture actual land conditions—crucial for Ladakh’s geographically challenging terrain.

The Lt Governor noted that the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India, Ease of Living, and Inclusive Development, ensuring that even remote and border areas receive robust digital infrastructure and citizen-centric services. “Making the administration responsive and efficient through technology is the government’s priority,” he said.

Quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Kavinder Gupta said good governance rests on transparency, accountability, protection of citizens’ rights, and sensitivity to public needs. He added that initiatives such as digital land records and transparent recruitment systems are living examples of responsive, future-ready governance.

The Lt Governor congratulated Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal, the Revenue Department, district administrations, and all officials involved, expressing confidence that the portal would prove user-friendly, reliable, and effective. He reaffirmed that such visionary, technology-driven initiatives would establish Ladakh as a model of good governance based on trust, transparency, and accountability.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Government of India, Kunal Satyarthi, praised the UT Administration for the achievement, noting that only a few states have reached this level of digital advancement. He also informed about NAKSHA (NAtional Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations), a one-year pilot project under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), and invited Ladakh to participate.

Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal highlighted the universal importance of land records and detailed ongoing digitisation efforts under SVAMITVA and DILRMP as per Government of India guidelines. He stated that documents issued through the portal are legally valid and can be used for purposes such as bank loans, adding that efforts are underway to achieve saturation of digital land records across the UT.

Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Leh, Shabbir Hussain, informed that citizens can access 18 land record-related services through the portal and demonstrated the simple and transparent online process for applying for fard intikhab.

The event was attended by Executive Councillor LAHDC Kargil Kacho Mohd Feroz, Principal Secretary Sanjeev Khirwar, Administrative Secretaries Shashanka Ala, Bhanu Prabha, Moses Kunzang, Special Secretary (Law) Qureshi Tariq Mahmood, Deputy Commissioners Romil Singh Donk (Leh) and Rakesh Kumar (Kargil), along with senior officers, tehsildars, NIC officials, and other dignitaries.