Land settlements and land revenue assessments can be traced back to the Mughal era. It was subsequently continued during the British period, during which systematic methodologies for land survey were introduced, incorporating traditional and organised practices. This process continued after Independence and is today practised across states to organise records of unsettled land.
Lets learn about land Paimaish, the age-old Persian land measurement process
What is land settl ement?
The settlement department in Indian states is responsible for conducting land surveys and providing a complete measurement in the metric system. It is responsible for the preparation of revenue records and land revenue assessment. The task of conducting land surveys and measurements is known as land settlement.
Land settlement is further divided into four categories in India.
- Summary settlement
- Kanooni (Regular) settlement
- Tarmim (Revised) settlement
- Jadid Sani (Complete revised) settlement
In this guide, we will understand the meaning of summary settlement of land.
What is summary settlement?
Summary settlement of land provides a temporary measurement for a land parcel for a short period. In such cases, the mapping is done without any survey equipment. A handwritten document is prepared till the regular settlement is carried out. No presumption of truth is attached to a summary settlement document.
For summary settlement of land, the settlement officer determines the extent of such lands and holdings:
- Based on the existing maps, field books and other records, if any
- Based on the quantity of seed sown therein
- Based on the number of ploughs actually used therein
- On any other basis, which may be agreed upon by the landholder and the tenant thereof
- Partly on one and partly on the other or others of the above basis.
Where it is not possible to ascertain the extent of any land or holding by employing any of the modes, the settlement officer surveys the land by chain.
State laws provide that the person holding such an area will be liable for expenses incurred in the completion of summary settlement.
“The settlement officer or his assistant shall keep an account of the expenditure incurred in the summary settlement of the land included in or forming a State grant and shall prepare a list of slate grantees, rateably distributing among them the amounts so incurred based on the area or rent or both,” says the Rajasthan Land Summary Settlement Act.
What is the difference between a regular settlement and a summary settlement of land?
A regular settlement is done where no record of rights is available. Modern land survey and measurement tools are used to map the land and the data collected is entered against the land ownership details in revenue records. A summary settlement is a precursor to regular settlement. Temporary records are created, relying on human efforts, without any technological intervention. This is a handwritten land record and has no permanency. Once a regular record is created, the validity of the summary settlement expires.
FAQs
What is Kanooni (regular) settlement?
The regular settlement is taken up where no previous record exists. On this settlement, the complete measurement is done with survey equipment and record-of-rights is prepared for the first time.
What is Tarmim (revised) settlement?
Under this type of settlement, only amendments are carried out without any measurement.
What is Jadid Sani (complete revised) settlement?
Under this type of settlement, a complete re-measurement of land is carried out with survey equipment, keeping in view the old Shajra and record.
Who is a settlement officer?
The settlement officer is in charge of achieving the target of land settlement work. They function as settlement collectors and decide appeal cases of various kinds.
Who is an assistant settlement officer?
The assistant settlement officer assists the settlement officer in carrying out various functions of the land department. They inspect the work done by patwaris, kanungos, naib tehsildars and tehsildars at different stages. They do the final attestation of the land record. As settlement collectors, they decide appeals filed by the aggrieved persons against the orders of the assistant collectors 1st and 2nd grade.
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