Avalanche Joins Forces with Indian Town to Digitize Over 700K Land Records

Avalanche, the leading blockchain, in a move towards diversifying the practical applications of Blockchain beyond just financial and investment streams, has revealed an exciting collaboration with an Indian Startup, Zupple using its platform.

In order to solve the traditional problems associated with land record keeping systems, an Indian town, Dantewada, has digitized over 700k of their land records on Avalanche Blockchain.

As per the revelation, land records dating back to the 1950s have now been stored on the Avalanche Blockchain with support from Zupple’s LegitDoc Platform, making them tamper-proof and secure.
The project has been spearheaded by the CEO of Dantewada Zila Panchayat, Jayant Mehta, in coordination with Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Mayank Chaturvedi, District Collector of Dantewada, and is being mplemented under the division of the Office of Land Records.

The initiative aims to enhance transparency, prevent land disputes, and modernize property management using blockchain technology – marking a significant milestone in India’s Digital Future.

How Blockchain-Based Land Registry can help

India has long faced challenges related to land ownership, including forgery, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and lengthy legal battles over disputed properties. Half of the pending litigations and cases before the Indian Judiciary are based on disputed claims between two persons/entities on same peice of land.

By transitioning land records onto a blockchain ledger, authorities aim to tackle these persistent issues head-on.

Avalanche’s blockchain technology can ensure that every transaction and update made to land records via its chain is permanently recorded and cannot be altered. This system will reduce the likelihood of fraud and unauthorized modifications, providing a higher level of trust among landowners, businesses, and government agencies.

Sharing more insights on the implementation, Avalanche revealed in a X post that the Dantewada administration, in order to implement it, has installed small booths in every sub-district of the town, where citizens and government officers can access land information.

This new integration on Avalanche will allow officials to search for land properties, download and view the digitized records on the blockchain. The app will also allow land officers and citizens to verify the smart contracts linked to the digital documents over the Avalanche Explorer, ensuring tamper-proof record keeping.

Digitizing land records on a decentralized ledger would significantly cut down processing times for land transactions, eliminating middlemen, and improving efficiency in granting property rights. Smart contracts, a key feature of blockchain technology, can be employed to automate processes such as title transfers and property sales, reducing delays and enhancing transparency.

Potential Economic and Social Impact

The digitization of land records using blockchain technology could have far-reaching economic and social implications.

A streamlined and trustworthy land administration system could boost investor confidence, attracting more real estate and infrastructure investments to the region.

Further, this will significantly help indebted people in rural regions where poor people are often snatched off their property rights, owing to non-payment debt. A usual scenario, where a person even after paying debt cannot establish ownership claims on his property, is common in rural regions of India. Thus, individuals from rural areas who lack proper land documentation could benefit immensely.

Secure land records can serve as proof of ownership, enabling landowners to access financial services such as loans and mortgages. Instances of fraud and loss of registration papers would also be reduced.

The administrative system could also receive help in the implementation of government policies related to land reforms, urban planning, and agricultural development.

India’s Growing Blockchain Adoption

India has been steadily adopting blockchain technology in various sectors, from finance to governance. State governments in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra have already initiated blockchain-based projects for land records and other administrative processes.

Notably, in 2023, Niti Aayog, an Indian government think tank, declared a Maharashtra blockchain caste certification pilot, in association with Zupple on Polygon PoS Blockchain – making it the first time such recognition and recommendation for the use of public blockchain in E-governance was implemented.

Niti-Aayog has declared a Maharashtra blockchain caste certification pilot, in association w/ @0xZupple, a model project in the social sector.

⚖️ This is the first time an Indian gov. think tank has recognized & recommended the use of public blockchain in E-governance#onPolygon

— Polygon ※ (@0xPolygon) June 6, 2023

In October 2023, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) also collaborated with Zupple to enhance its purchase order processes using blockchain technology.

With the growing emphasis on digital transformation, more Indian municipalities are expected to explore blockchain-based solutions to enhance governance and service delivery. Avalanche’s entry into this space underscores the increasing interest from global blockchain firms in India’s public sector initiatives.

What’s Next for the Project?

The rollout of this blockchain-based land record system will take place in multiple phases. Initially, authorities will conduct a pilot program covering a limited number of records before expanding to all 700,000 land parcels.

Experts believe that if the initiative proves successful, it could serve as a model for other municipal towns and cities across India and even for other countries. With the rise of digital governance, more governments are already looking towards blockchain as a tool to enhance efficiency, reduce corruption, and ensure equitable property rights.

As India continues its journey towards digital innovation, projects like these demonstrate the potential of blockchain technology in reshaping traditional bureaucratic processes and bringing long-term benefits to citizens and businesses alike.

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