In a significant administrative push, the Karnataka government has successfully transferred the ownership of more than eight lakh agricultural land parcels across the state from deceased persons to their rightful legal heirs. This massive exercise is part of a special 'Pauti khata' campaign initiated by the state's revenue department to clear a backlog of outdated records that were depriving farmers of crucial benefits.
The Scale of the Problem and the Government's Response
The need for this campaign came to light during the statewide integration of Records of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) last year. The survey revealed a staggering 50.2 lakh agricultural land parcels that were still registered in the names of deceased owners. These outdated records created a major hurdle for the actual cultivators, who were unable to access various state and central government schemes due to the mismatch in official ownership documents.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, addressing the legislative council last week in response to a question from BJP's CT Ravi, highlighted the widespread impact of this issue. He stated that the government launched the campaign specifically to ensure the mutation of land records in favour of legal heirs, thereby resolving a long-pending problem for countless farming families.
How the Transfer Process is Being Executed
The transfer process is being carried out through a combination of physical and digital means. Initially, 5.7 lakh land parcels were transferred via Bhoomi kiosks in 2024. Following the launch of the dedicated e-Pauti portal in June 2025, the ownership of another 2.4 lakh parcels was successfully updated, bringing the total completed transfers to over eight lakh.
The on-ground responsibility lies with Village Administrative Officers (VAOs). Their task is to initiate the process by collecting necessary documents from legal heirs, including family trees and death certificates, and verifying identities through e-KYC. The revenue department has set a strict timeline for this service.
The entire process, including a mandatory 15-day public notice period, must be completed within 17 days. If any objections are raised during the notice period, the case is resolved according to the provisions of the Land Revenue Act.
Ensuring Transparency and Preventing Fraud
Officials have designed the campaign to be transparent and to safeguard the interests of all legitimate heirs, especially women. Village accountants are conducting door-to-door visits to verify claims. Crucially, the names of claimants are publicly displayed in villages. This public scrutiny helps identify and prevent attempts by individuals to provide false information and deny women their rightful share of inheritance.
An official noted that many properties are currently possessed by second- or third-generation heirs without formal ownership transfer, making this exercise vital for establishing clear titles.
Broader Benefits and Official Accountability
The government expects multiple long-term benefits from this campaign. It is projected to reduce corruption in heir documentation, minimise the need for farmers to repeatedly visit village and taluk offices, save time, streamline future ownership transfers, and help prevent costly legal disputes among heirs in the future.
Minister Gowda also issued a stern warning to officials, stating that action would be taken under the Sakala Services Act against any official who deliberately denies an ownership transfer despite the submission of all valid documents by the applicants.
While a major milestone has been achieved with over eight lakh transfers, the work is far from over. The process is still underway for the remaining 42 lakh-plus properties identified as eligible for mutation, indicating the vast scale of the legacy issue the government is tackling.
