Parliament Question: NAKSHA Capacity Building Programmes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 445 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2025 NAKSHA Capacity Building Programmes 445. Shri Dineshbhai Makwana: Shri Lumbaram Choudhary: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato: Smt. Smita Uday Wagh: Shri Yogender Chandolia: Shri Dilip Saikia: Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh: Shri Janardan Mishra: Shri Rajkumar Chahar: Smt. Aparajita Sarangi: Shri Madhavaneni Raghunandan Rao: Shri Khagen Murmu: Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) the key accomplishments and outcomes of the first phase of the National Geospatial Knowledge- based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) Capacity Building Programme, concluded in May 2025; (b) whether the Government has any plans to expand the network of training institutes under the NAKSHA initiative in the upcoming phases; (c) if so, the details thereof including the proposed locations, especially in Maharashtra and Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituency; (d) the manner in which the NAKSHA initiative aligns with the Government’s broader vision of urban development, land record modernization, urban development, Administrative modernisation and improved local governance through geospatial technologies; and (e) whether the Government proposes to set up a NAKSHA training or implementation centre in Jalgaon to cater to the growing needs of urban land administration and planning in the Khandesh region and if not, the reasons therefor? 1ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. CHANDRA SEKHAR PEMMASANI) (a) The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, is implementing the NAKSHA Programme to assist States and Union Territories in conducting urban land surveys using modern geospatial technologies under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP). Capacity building forms a critical component of the NAKSHA initiative, and a structured three-phase training framework has been conceptualized and is currently under implementation. Phase 1 of the capacity building programme, concluded in May 2025, comprised four rounds of intensive residential training programmes organized at the National Institute for Geo-Informatics Science and Technology (NIGST), Survey of India, Hyderabad. These training sessions were targeted at officials from the Revenue Departments, Urban Development Departments, and GIS domain experts from all 29 participating States and Union Territories, as well as land experts from five designated Centres of Excellence (CoEs), namely:  Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA), Pune  Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Chandigarh  Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie  Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Mysuru  North East Centre of Excellence on Land Governance (NECoELG), Guwahati The key accomplishments of Phase 1 of the NAKSHA Capacity Building Programme are as follows: 1. Creation of a national cadre of Master Trainers: Through four rounds of intensive training at NIGST, Hyderabad, 160 officers comprising officials from Revenue and Urban Development Departments and GIS experts from 29 States/UTs and designated Centres of Excellence, have been trained as Master Trainers. These officers are now serving as lead facilitators in cascading training efforts to the state and ULB levels, ensuring knowledge transfer and consistency in implementation across the country. 2. Institutionalization of a Standardized Operating Procedure (SOP): The NAKSHA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been developed as a comprehensive technical blueprint for urban land surveys. It provides uniform guidelines on data collection, geospatial processing, quality control, and integration with property records, thereby enabling a consistent and scientifically robust approach to ground truthing and mapping. 3. Development of a comprehensive training manual: A dedicated NAKSHA training manual has been prepared to support hands-on field implementation. It offers a detailed, step-by-step guidance of the entire survey workflow, aligning operational tasks with modern survey tools such as GNSS rovers, ETS, and Web-GIS application. The manual is being used as a core resource for training field-level survey teams across all States and UTs. 2(b) and (c) No plan under the current phase of the programme. (d) NAKSHA facilitates scientific urban land records creation by generating accurate geospatial data through aerial and ground surveys, enabling Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for better urban planning, infrastructure development, disaster resilience etc. It supports the creation of a digitised, spatially referenced urban land records system by integrating land parcel boundaries with Record of Rights (RoR), property holding tax, Registered deeds etc and assigning Urban Property (UrPro) cards, thereby improving clarity and reducing disputes. The programme promotes administrative efficiency through the use of advanced technologies such as drones, GNSS/CORS-based surveys, and Web-GIS platforms, enabling real-time access to data and better interdepartmental coordination. By making land records easily accessible to citizens, NAKSHA empowers urban residents, enhances transparency, and supports ease of living. It also strengthens ULB finances through accurate property mapping and improved tax assessments. Overall, NAKSHA programme acts as a key enabler of the Government’s vision for digital governance, urban transformation, and inclusive, citizen-centric development. (e) No plan under the current phase of the programme. ******* 3