Agri Stack scheme to be implemented in Maharashtra to avoid cheating in land deals

Pune: Document registration is a farmer’s identification that he owns a particular land. However, he does not come to know about a deal in relation to his land without his knowledge.

Now, to protect his ownership of land, he can connect his Aadhaar card and mobile phone number to the Record of Rights under the Agri Stack scheme. This will confirm that he is the legitimate owner of a particular piece of land and cheating can be avoided.

The talathi in every village will visit each house and will implement the Agri Stack scheme from December 15. The State Department of Land Records will implement the Agri Stack scheme with the help of the State Agriculture Department.

An identity card of each farmer will be made. It will have details such as the farmer’s name, details about his land and Aadhaar card number will be connected to it. This will establish the exact number of farmers and the exact area of land that they possess. The Land Records Department also put forth a proposal to the Central Government that they should be allowed to connect the Aadhaar card to the Record of Rights. The proposal has been approved by the Central Government.

The initiative

The Record of Rights will prove the ownership of a farmer to the State Government. A farmer will personally visit the talathi and register his land. The talathi will confirm the ownership of land through the kotwal. To create the identity of a farmer, his mobile number and the Aadhaar card numbers will be connected.

Benefits of the scheme

A farmer’s identity verification was not possible in a land deal except for his consent. This was leading to frauds in land deals. However, now a farmer will be intimated about any such deal through an OTP sent by the Land Records Department as his Aadhaar card and mobile phone will be connected to the Record of Rights. The deal will be completed only after providing the OTP.

State Director (e-Mutations Project), Land Records Department, Pune, Sarita Narke said, “Talathis will connect a farmer’s identity card to the Aadhar card in 44,296 villages in the State. The project will be completed within the next three months.