KARACHI, March 1: Sindh Revenue Minister Dr Irfan Gul Magsi on Thursday launched the first phase of computerisation of record of rights project by pushing the button for automation of stamps and registration system.
The computerisation of records aims at ensuring a transparent system. The project, a part of a foreign funded Rs21 million scheme to computerise all revenue records dating back to the 19th century, including hand drawn maps of properties which would now be digitalised and preserved through micro films.
Launching the project Dr Magsi, who was speaking at a press conference at the offices of BoR, highlighted the benefits of the project saying that through its website public could keep track of the status of their registration cases at any time by feeding case number, key information on property schedules and other stamp act details as registration information for all cases would be made available centrally at Karachi and Hyderabad at the main BoR Sindh offices.
The minister said that consultants were being appointed for computerisation of the entire record which was in the advance phase as out of 10; two firms had been short-listed for the job.
He said that the main reason of corruption and complaints regarding revenue department was enormous powers which the Tapedar and Mukhtarkar enjoyed and due to lack of information of the procedure people were being exploited.
But with the computerisation of the entire process information regarding stamps duty, required forms will be made available on the internet and necessary data about availability of stamps and consumption at all treasury/sub-treasury offices will also be available, he added.
In the pilot project, the offices automated included registration office Clifton, stamps office City Courts, main office BoR Karachi and Hyderabad.
Dr Magsi said that during last three years the revenue from stamps duty had grown 15 per cent as from the year 2002-03 stamps duty collection had increased from Rs2,373 million to Rs3,840 million in 2005-06.
He said out of Rs13 billion revenue there were Rs5 billion from stamp duty alone.
The minister also said that the revenue department had also initiated Goth Abad survey and issuing ownership documents (Sanads) to the residents. In this connection target had been given to all districts for completion of the survey.
He said that there was a ban on issuing of proprietary Sanads from last 10 years which had started from January 15, 2007 on the orders of Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim so that maximum facilities could be provided to the residents of Goths.
Mr Magsi said that in Karachi and Hyderabad electronic survey would start from next month.
However, the minister made it clear that action would be taken against land grabbers. He said the government already had records of the original area of Goths
Earlier, acting chief secretary and senior member Board of Revenue Syed Anwar Haider and member Ejaz Qazi highlighted the aspects of the pilot project and its benefits.
