Arunachal Pradesh land records: All you need to know

After Arunachal Pradesh started the process to confer land rights on the state’s citizens, the state government has also moved towards digitising its Arunachal Pradesh land record. Recall here that under the Arunachal Pradesh (Land Settlement and Records) Act of 2000, residents of the state did not have land titles, as the real land ownership continued to rest with the state government.

 

Land possession certificate in Arunachal Pradesh

Before the Arunachal Pradesh Land Settlement and Records Amendment Bill was passed in 2018, land in Arunachal Pradesh was held under customary laws of the many tribes living in the north-eastern state and no document conferring the Arunachal Pradesh land record title was given to the people. Apart from government land, most of the land across Arunachal Pradesh was owned by communities and not individuals. Although people had Land Possession Certificates (LPCs) for the plots which belonged to them, it did not give them ownership rights. As a result, Land Possession Certificate-holders were not able to apply for loans using the land as collateral. They were also not able to provide their land on lease for a long term.

The new bill confers Arunachal Pradesh land record and ownership rights to indigenous tribal people, including communities and clans possessing LPCs. Recognising people’s right over land, the bill gives them the right to give their land on a long-term lease of up to 33 years.

“With this legislation, huge investments from outside is expected, which will augment the economy of the state. Land can now be mortgaged for obtaining loans from banks as the formal channels of credit has been opened,” the state government said in an official release after the bill was passed on March 12, 2018.

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Arunachal Pradesh land record : Who issues land possession certificate?

Arunachal Pradesh’s indigenous population can apply for land possession certificates at the deputy commissioner’s office of the district concerned. The approval by the deputy commissioner will be subject to the approvals by the forest department and the village council.

 

Land possession certificate Arunachal Pradesh : Validity

A land possession certificate in Arunachal Pradesh is valid for a lease period of 33 years. At the end of this period, the lease can be extended for another 33 years.

See also: What is a Leasehold property?

 

Arunachal land possession certificate application form sample

To, The Deputy Commissioner Name of District (Through the SDO/EAC/CO ……………………….. )   Subject: Request for issue of Land Possession Certificate.   Sir, I Shri ……………………………………………………………. of village ………………………. son of shri/late …………………………………………………… Circle/Division ……………………………of…………………………………… District,   Do, hereby, request that, a possession Certificate of land may please be issued in my favour for the purpose of ………………………………………………….. The following is the description of my land for which I am applying for possession certificate.   DESCRIPTION OF LAND Area ………………………………. in sq. mtrs. …………………………….. In the north:- In the south:- In the east:- In the west:-   I am enclosing herewith the following documents in support of my Application:- 1. Certificate from the forest department. 2. Certificate from village council/village headman/ vice President Anchal Samity. 3. Sketch map of the land in triplicate (not to scale) duly countersigned by the village authority.   I do, hereby, declare that the above statements given by me are true to the best of my knowledge. Yours faithfully, (Shri ………………………………) Village/Town ……………………… Police Station ……………………… Sub-Division ………………………. District ……………………………..

 

How to apply for land possession certificate in Arunachal Pradesh?

In Arunachal Pradesh, a citizen can apply for a land possession certificate by downloading the application form online and submitting it at the concerned office, or by taking the application form directly from the office.

Step 1: Visit the nearest Anchaladhikari (regional officer’s) office or Right to Public Service (RTPS) office in your area and ask for the application form for the land possession certificate in Arunachal Pradesh. You can also download this form or use the land possession certificate application sample as shown above.

Step 2: Fill the Arunachal Pradesh land possession certificate application form with all the details as asked and enclose the documents required to support your claim about the land ownership, your identity and your residence. Now, you can submit your Arunachal Pradesh land possession certificate application and get an acknowledgement receipt, which will mention your application number. This is the number you will be using in future, to check your application status.

Step 3: Your request will be sent to the service delivery office concerned and you will be notified about the authority’s decision through SMS on your registered mobile number.

Note that you will be able to use your application number to track your application online even if the application has been made offline or through kiosks in Arunachal Pradesh.

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Arunachal Pradesh Service Plus portal

As the country moves towards complete digitisation of land records, the Arunachal Pradesh government has also started the process to offer a variety of citizen services online, through its Service Plus platform. The objective of the portal is to provide Arunachal Pradesh citizens with:

1. The access to information about any service provided by the government.
2. An option to register themselves online and indicate preferences for alerts on different types of services.
3. Manage and maintain all enclosure documents in the online repository, which can be reused across all services.
4. Submit applications online, offline or through kiosks.
5. Track their applications online, irrespective of the mode in which the application has been submitted.
6. Receive alerts on the status of a submitted application.
7. Lodge grievance in case of deficiency in service or failure to deliver service.

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Arunachal Pradesh land record services online

There are a number of services citizens of Arunachal Pradesh can avail of on the Service Plus portal. These include:

1. Vehicle pass for essential services during COVID-19 curfew/lockdown period.
2. Application for issuance of inner line permit.
3. Application for new government identity card.
4. Temporary resident certificate for enrolment in the Indian Army.
5. Issuance of marriage certificate.
6. Issuance of schedule tribe certificate.
7. Issuance of permanent residence certificate (PRC).
8. Issuance of temporary residence certificate (TRC).
9. Issuance of income certificate.
10. Issuance of dependent certificate.
11. Issuance of character certificate.

See also: How to check land records on Jami Tripura portal?

 

How to apply for permanent residence certificate in Arunachal Pradesh?

Explained below is the step-wise procedure to apply for a permanent residence certificate in Arunachal Pradesh.

Step 1: Visit the official Service Plus website, http://eservice.arunachal.gov.in.

 

 

Step 2: New users have to first register themselves, before they can make the application by providing their address, mobile number, email ID, etc. Once this process is completed, an activation link will be sent on your email ID. Following the verification, your registration for the portal will be complete and you will be able to access a variety of services on the portal.

Step 3: A registered user can then apply for the desired service at the respective district commissioner’s office by entering basic details and uploading the supporting documents on the Service Plus portal.

Step 4: The applicant will also be asked to pay the fees for availing of the service through debit card, cheque or net-banking. They can also make cash payments, if they are applying for these services online.

Step 5: Applicants can track the status of their permanent residence certificate application by clicking on the ‘Tracking’ link on the homepage.

Step 6: The official in-charge verifies your application, including the uploaded enclosures. Then, there is a two-layered verification that takes place before the online certificate is digitally signed and issued to the applicant. Once the land department approves your application, a digitally signed permanent residence certificate will be delivered in your Service-Plus Account.

 

How to track Arunachal Pradesh permanent residence certificate application status online?

You can track your application status by the following ways:

1. To get the status of the application, click on ‘Track Application Status Report’ link available under Citizen Section on http://eservice.arunachal.gov.in.

 

 

2. You can also check the Arunachal Pradesh permanent residence application status by logging-in on the Service Plus homepage, with your username and password. Once you have logged- in, click on ‘Track Application Status’ link provided under ‘View Status of Application’.

 

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How to verify my permanent residence certificate online in Arunachal Pradesh?

Citizens in Arunachal Pradesh can verify permanent residence e-certificates by the following steps:

Step 1: Click on ‘Verify Certificate’ link on http://eservice.arunachal.gov.in.

Step 2: Enter the Token Number and Application Reference Number available at the bottom of the certificate.

Step 3: Click on ‘Download Certificate’. The certificate will get downloaded, only if the details entered are correct.

 

Key facts about land ownership in Arunachal Pradesh

While Indian land acquisition law recognises only individual ownership, large tracts of land in Arunachal Pradesh are commonly held by tribal communities.

Interestingly, unlike north-eastern states like Nagaland and Mizoram, where land acquisitions take into account customary laws under the special status conferred upon them through Articles 371A and 371G of the Indian Constitution, Arunachal Pradesh has no special status. Despite that, customary land holding is still common.

 

FAQs

How are land transactions managed in Arunachal Pradesh?

As is true of other north-eastern states, Arunachal Pradesh, too, is home to various Scheduled Tribes, who account for over 65% of its population. Each tribe manages its regular affairs including land, using their own customary laws.

What is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh?

Itanagar is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.