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State Capacity Building on Inclusive Land Administration

This 3-days Residential Training Programme was jointly organized by IIM, Ahmedabad and Landstack in partnership with Centre of Excellence, YASHADA, and the University of Melbourne. The primary goal of the programme is to help Indian land administrators better negotiate the inherent and upcoming challenges and bridge aspirations of digital land administration with imperatives of just and inclusive land reform.

Workshop-cum-Project Launching “IncLand” – Building State Capacity for Inclusive Land Admi

About the Project

Land governance in India is increasingly shaped by digital systems, geospatial technologies, legal reforms and decentralised administration. However, institutional capacity, legal understanding, citizen access and inclusion remain uneven across states and stakeholder groups.

IncLand is a multi-institutional capacity-building and knowledge initiative in collaboration with 2 state institutions and 4 academic institutions to strengthen the capacity of institutions and stakeholders engaged in land governance and administration in India. The project focuses on improving the effectiveness, inclusiveness, and responsiveness of technology-enabled land administration systems through targeted training, research, consultations, executive education and institutional collaboration.

Some of the persistent challenges in land governance are tenure insecurity, outdated and fragmented land records, uneven implementation of reforms, limited institutional coordination, exclusion of women and marginalized communities and the growing need to align digital land administration systems with inclusive governance outcomes. In such a scenario, land reforms can only become meaningful when translated into accessible, accountable, citizen-centric and field-responsive land administration practices.

Over the project period, Landstack and its partners have undertaken scoping studies, training needs assessments, field visits, executive training programmes, academic workshops, legal education programmes and cross-institutional consultations. These engagements have involved academic institutions, state training institutes, government officials, legal professionals, revenue and land records personnel, researchers, civil society actors, private sector stakeholders and students.

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Capacity-Building Training Program for Local Government Administrators

(A Foundation Program)

The Foundation Course on Land Administration and Governance is an intensive Two-Day Capacity-Building Program designed to enhance the competencies of administrators and local government functionaries at the Block and District levels.

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Progress so far

Type of Project

Capacity Building

Type of Project

Capacity Building

Type of Project

Capacity Building

Type of Project

Capacity Building

Project Overview

Since the 1990s, India has made significant strides in land reforms and technological advancements within its land administration. However, the challenge lies in the fragmented integration of these reforms and innovations, resulting in an incomplete land records system. This lack of cohesion has contributed to prolonged land disputes in courts, obstructing access to public entitlements and financial resources, disproportionately affecting gender and marginalised communities. Therefore, IncLand, aims to strengthen India's land administration by enhancing the capacities of a diverse range of stakeholders, including state officials, technology experts, academics, and NGO representatives.

Project Partners

IncLand is being implemented by IIMA in partnership with Landstack, New Delhi. The project proposes to collaborate with two States of Odisha and Maharashtra; and three academic institutions- Azim Premji University, Flame University and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to establish Land administration programmes and courses. Through fostering interdisciplinary academic collaboration and improving coordination between central and state governments, the initiative seeks to establish a more streamlined, transparent, and inclusive land administration system in Odisha and Maharashtra.

Enhancing Stakeholders' Capacity to Translate Land Reforms into Land Administration

The Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, in collaboration with Landstack, organized a five-day Executive Development Training Programme. The programme aimed to deepen the understanding of land law, policy implementation, and institutional frameworks among legal actors, including judges, advocates, policymakers, academicians, and administrators. The sessions were designed to critically explore historical trajectories, legal doctrines, environmental concerns, technological tools, and social justice dimensions related to land governance in India.

Historical and Legal Evolution of Land Laws

The inaugural and joint feedback session on Day 1 set the tone for the training programme by underscoring the urgent need for interdisciplinary approaches and institutional capacity development in land governance. With inputs from Dr. Anil Sain, Mr. Kunal Satyarthi, and Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, the session emphasized the deep-rooted structural issues in land administration—ranging from insecure tenure and encroachment to outdated legal frameworks. The speakers advocated for modernization through technology, digitization of land records, and progressive legal reforms, highlighting the critical role of legal actors in shaping a more just, transparent, and efficient land system in India.

Mr. Anil Sant opened the programme with a historical overview of land administration in India, tracing it from ancient texts like the Arthashastra through the Mughal and British periods. He discussed the impact of the Permanent Settlement, the Transfer of Property Act (1882), and the Land Acquisition Act (1894) on the rural agrarian economy and tenancy structures.

Dr. Sanjivini Raina examined the tension between private property rights and the doctrine of eminent domain. She explored national and international frameworks, referencing Article 17 of the UDHR, Kelo v. City of New London, and Tekabo AO v. Sakumeren AO (2004). She elaborated on the transformation from the 1894 Act to the LARR Act, 2013, with its emphasis on Social Impact Assessments (SIA).

A detailed account of Uttar Pradesh’s land reforms, focusing on the UP-Tenancy Act, 1939, and the landmark Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950, highlighting their amendments and lasting socio-economic impact.

Day 1

Eminent Domain, Economic Democracy & Legal Frameworks

Dr. Meena Panickar addressed the intersection of eminent domain, just compensation, and economic democracy, drawing on Dr. Ambedkar’s vision and emphasizing the importance of protecting the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and marginalized communities in the face of development-induced displacement.

Mr. Anurag Ojha discussed the central and state legal frameworks governing land acquisition, focusing on the evolution of judicial oversight and the dynamic interpretation of public purpose.

Prof. (Dr.) Raman Mittal introduced the philosophical foundations of property and justice, arguing that property is central to the formation of legal systems and is deeply tied to broader societal goals of order and equity.

Mr. Anil Sant, in the final session of the day, reflected on the legacy of 1950s land policies and their impact on SC/ST communities, highlighting constitutional protections and challenges in implementation on the ground.

Day 2

Environmental, Technological & Administrative Challenges

Ms. Kanchi Kohli explored the Triple Planetary Crisis—climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss—and how these crises intersect with land governance. She emphasized the role of commons and community participation in environmental decision-making.

Mr. Brij Aggarwal offered a comparative analysis of global land registration systems, such as Deed vs. Title Registration, and proposed reforms for India's land system, emphasizing digitization and simplification.

Dr. Parikshit Sirohi discussed the role of technology and AI in land mapping, showcasing innovations like drones, machine learning, and remote sensing that are revolutionizing land administration with greater accuracy and transparency.

Dr. Nivedita Haran addressed the issue of land litigation in India, identifying core challenges such as incomplete records, encroachments, and delays in adjudication, while advocating for ADR mechanisms, digitization, and institutional reforms.

Day 3

Legal Mechanisms and Constitutional Framework

Dr. Ashish Kumar discussed the effectiveness of Mediation and Arbitration in resolving land conflicts. Despite Section 89 CPC enabling ADR, India's dependency on litigation continues to slow conflict resolution.

Dr. Namita Vashistha presented a timeline of judicial interpretations of land law in India, citing landmark cases and emerging legal trends that shape the rights and duties related to land.

Dr. Pradeep Nayak addressed urban land disputes, the role of Records of Rights (RoRs), and Revision Courts, especially in the context of Odisha’s land system, emphasizing institutional accountability.

Dr. Parveen concluded the day with an overview of the Constitutional framework governing land, discussing the transformation of land from a cultural asset to a regulated economic resource, especially after the 44th Constitutional Amendment and changes in land acquisition laws.

Day 4

Sustainability, Gender, and Justice

Dr. Shivani Verma initiated the day with a reflection on environmental sustainability and land use, framing land as a sacred and finite resource. She called for a paradigm shift from exploitation to stewardship, drawing from ancient Indian environmental ethos.

Mr. Rohan, Advocate, discussed urbanization and land use challenges, including legal disputes arising from land conversion for infrastructure, housing, and commercial development, often clashing with environmental and social justice concerns.

Prof. Anju Vali Tikoo addressed women’s land rights, asserting that legal recognition is not sufficient without access, control, and decision-making power. She framed land rights as essential for economic, social, and political justice for women.

Conclusion

This Executive Development Programme offered a holistic and multi-disciplinary exploration of land governance in India. It successfully equipped participants with knowledge of historical legacies, legal complexities, environmental imperatives, technological tools, and social justice frameworks essential for translating land reform objectives into effective land administration. The programme reinforced the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration, legal innovation, and stakeholder capacity-building in shaping equitable, sustainable, and efficient land governance systems.

Day 5

Day 1 commenced with Shri K. Suryakrishnamurty highlighting the importance of land governance in effective service delivery at the block level. Dr. Partha Pratim Sahu followed with insights into building a decentralized land administration ecosystem, stressing the role of local institutions. Dr. Praveen Kumar addressed persistent challenges in land record digitization, identifying bottlenecks and solutions. The day concluded with Dr. Sunil Kumar discussing how BDOs can leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships for strengthening land administration and services.

Day 1

Day 2 shifted focus to broader structural and policy dimensions. Dr. Madhushree Sekher examined the impact of infrastructure expansion on land systems, followed by Shri Milind Thatte, who emphasized customary laws and the role of Gram Sabhas in bridging traditional practices with formal administration. Dr. Manik Dive explored the right to services in land policy frameworks, with a special reference to tribal welfare schemes like the Birsa Munda Program. Dr. Gunvant Birajdar delved into the complexities of land tenure in agriculture, especially in relation to landless farmers. The sessions concluded with the session by Shri Pranab Ranjan Choudhury with setting the context on connecting land and development: key imperatives for development administrators and then with an open forum for participants to share their personal experiences in resolving land-related issues, fostering peer learning and collaborative reflection.

Day 2

The training programme employed a multi-pronged, experiential approach to build participants' capacity in land law and administration. It featured expert-led sessions that provided deep insights into historical, legal, technological, and environmental dimensions of land governance. Peer-to-peer discussions encouraged collaborative learning and exchange of diverse field experiences, enriching the discourse with ground-level perspectives. Case-based learning enabled participants to analyze real-world land conflict scenarios and judicial interpretations. Stakeholder consultation exercises fostered practical understanding of inclusive land policy-making, while the capstone project offered hands-on exposure to mobilizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) resources for strengthening land administration systems, ensuring that participants translated theoretical learning into actionable strategies.

To complement the learning, a half-day Capstone Project offers hands-on training in accessing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support for land administration. This session provides practical tools to build CSR partnerships that can improve land services, strengthen governance, and support sustainable land management at the local level.