Bodoland Becomes First Sixth Schedule Council to Digitise Land Records, Launch e-Office System

The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) has become the first Sixth Schedule autonomous council in Northeast India to achieve 100 per cent digitisation of land records and introduce an e-Office system, a move hailed as a major breakthrough in tribal administration.

The milestone aligns the region with the Centre’s Digital India Mission.

Advertisement

Officials said more than 15 lakh land documents—including old pattas, revenue records and maps—have been digitised and made accessible through kiosks, mobile applications and web portals.

“This is a revolution for our region,” said a BTR Land Revenue Department official. “Digitisation ensures transparency, curbs corruption and minimises forgery.”

There are 10 Sixth Schedule councils in the Northeast—three each in Assam, Mizoram and Meghalaya, and one in Tripura.
While most continue to depend on manual systems, BTR’s digital achievement has set a new benchmark.

The council has not only completed digitisation but also replaced the manual file movement system with an e-Office platform that enables real-time tracking of files, online approvals, and paperless decision-making.

Secretary Dhiraj Saud said the digitisation drive began in 2023 with ground surveys across Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts. Records were cross-verified and mapped using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to ensure accuracy.
For residents, the reforms have been transformative. A farmer from Baksa district who recently accessed his digital patta said, “Earlier, we waited months for documents. Now, it takes minutes”.

The move has also benefited small tea growers, many of whom received land settlement for the first time and are now eligible for Tea Board of India schemes.

Under Mission Basumoti 1.0, the administration disposed of over 2.11 lakh applications out of 2.34 lakh received. Its second phase, launched recently by Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya, has already attracted nearly 24,000 applications.

However, challenges persist. Limited internet penetration and low digital literacy in rural areas continue to slow adoption. To bridge the gap, BTR has begun village-level training sessions and is setting up digital kiosks in blocks and panchayat offices.
“Digitisation is only the first step,” Saud said. “The real challenge is last-mile accessibility and building people’s trust in the system.”

The Government of India has lauded the BTR’s achievement and urged other councils in Karbi Anglong, Meghalaya and Tripura to follow suit. The Ministry of Electronics and IT has also assured support for scaling up services.

Observers believe the success has boosted the credibility of the ruling United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) ahead of the 2025 council elections, strengthening its image as a driver of reform and good governance.