1.

Integrated Land Records & Village Map Computerization (BHUCHITRA)

The Land & Land Reforms Department : West Bengal

The Department, a planning, monitoring and administrative apex level body, is situated in
the state capital of Kolkata. Directorate of Land Records & Surveys a major directorate
under the department maintains, develop land Records & Mouza Maps for the entire State.
Through a very well knit state-wide organizational structure comprising 19 districts & Sub-
District offices 341 Block level Land Reforms offices & 3354 Revenue Inspectors (R.I.)
offices it reach out to deliver service to the citizens. Directorate has 341 Block Land Records
Offices to implement the software to deliver services to the people. Way back in 1991
through a pilot project sanctioned by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of
India, computerization of land records started in a modest way.

The Project :  BHUCHITRA is the application software to manage the land records as well
as map data for the state of West Bengal. Apart from creation and maintenance of land
records database, this application integrates the vector digitized mouza map with the land
record information. The software is capable to analyze the data to generate many kinds of
reports that are of great value to the Department and beyond. BHUCHITRA is an upgraded
version of BHUMI that was developed earlier without the features of mouza map
information. The application provides plot excerpts along with the ROR.

The pilot project gave enough indication to the effect that, the task was gigantic in several
accounts as follows :
(1) The volume of data at khatian and plot level is truly massive hence fund requirement is
enormous.
(2) Age old Acts and Rules are quite rigid to accommodate changes
(3) Local language in maintenance of land records stands as a barrier
(4) Sensitivity of land records data is very high both legally and socially

However, all these barriers could be overcome by a concerted effort of all concerned
organizations and an unprecedented advancement in technology. Fortunately, the
Department has risen to the occasion to extend a collaborative support to NIC-WBSC for the
development of appropriate technology and to a number of agencies for transformation of
data to magnetic media. The project which started way back in 1991 on a modest scale on
pilot basis in a single district, has emerged as a large project involving huge and sensitive,
both socially and economically, data running into crores of plots and lakhs of Khatians and a
massive transformation of the existing processes. The places of implementation run into
341 Block Offices spread across the length and breadth of the state.

The Present Status : Land records computerization in West Bengal started in 1991 and
since then all the Land and Land Reforms Offices in 341 Blocks in the state have been made
operational. Block level database of khatians and plots with due validation and checking
done is available. Citizens are provided with computerized Records of Rights(RoR) on
demand from all the Blocks of the state. Providing manual copy of certified copy has been
legally banned in the State. On line mode of record correction is being implemented
replacing post facto mode of record correction process. Paper based Mouza volumes are
being sealed ensuring record correction digitally. Certified copy, plot information are being
provided within 15 minutes. Replication of such system is on for other blocks. In one block
BHUCHITRA has been implemented providing map details of the plot along with its ROR.
Such integrated service has been much appreciated by the beneficiary citizen.
The Future Prospects : Registration of property handled by altogether a different
department and being hitherto treated as separate activities is in the process of linking with
land records activities. Thus mutation of records, an activity which is a source of pain to all
and sundry irrespective of their social or financial status, could be done in a hassle free
manner almost instantaneously. Efforts are also underway to put the entire database of land
information including cadastral maps on the web as a process of forward integration
towards e-governance.

2. Land Acquisition Information System

The Land Acquisition Office : The office of the Land & Land Reforms Department is the
nodal department for administration and monitoring of Land Acquisition activities in the
state in close co-ordination with the Requiring Bodies(RB) who require the land for various
industries and developmental activities and the Land Acquisition Collector(LAC) at the
District Level. The department has 18 number of Land Acquisition Collector offices all over
the state where the Land Acquisition Information System (LAIS) is implemented for delivery
of services to the citizens, Requiring Bodies and Land and Land Reforms Commissioner
(LRC) and other departments. Publication of Notification, Publication of Declaration,
Payment of Compensation money are some of the major services delivered by the LAC using
the LAIS software.

The Project : LAIS has been developed in order to ensure speedy disposal of all pending
and running Land Acquisition Cases and to help the Government to save huge amount of
Establishment costs and the Interest Costs due to the delay in the Declaration and Payment
of Award. The land owners get the Compensation Amount in due time from the
Government. All the required reports are generated through the LAIS starting from
Notification to Possession Certificate for Land Acquisition Cases under State Government
and Central Government. The system stores the data relating to the Project details, Plot
details and Owner details of the plots to be acquired. Reports relating to Notification,
Declaration, Land Schedule, Estimate, Calculation Sheets, Award Preparations, Payment
Notices, C.C. Vouchers and many other required reports and queries are available in the
software.

The Present Status : LAIS software is successfully implemented in most of the Land
Acquisition Offices of West Bengal during the year 2000. In the present system the users
have to enter the plot details and land owners details of each plot from the Land Schedule
available with the Block Land & Land Reforms Offices. The land valuation is also done
manually by the LAC Offices using the data collected from the District Registration/ Addl
District Registrar / Sub Registrar offices of the locality where the land is to be acquired. On
the basis of these data land compensation amount is calculated for each land owners. 

The Future Prospects : The LAIS software is proposed to be implemented in all of the
Land Acquisition Offices in the state. Now most of the Block Land & Land Reforms Offices of
the state have been implemented BHUMI software & most of the District Registrar/ADSR/SR
Offices are being computerized with the CORD software and the Plot data, land owner data
& land valuations data can be easily taken from the BHUMI and CORD software and
integrated into the LAIS system for the effective and efficient delivery of the services as per
the rules of Land Acquisition (New Approach).

 
e-Governance Initiative in West-Bengal

As part of the goal for adopting e-Governance West Bengal has introduced

significantcomputerization at various levels in several Government Departments and Directorates.

These include Finance, Labour, Transport, Panchayat & Rural Development, Land & LandReforms, I &

CA, Tourism Forest, Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, Higher Education, Environment, Housing etc.

Computerisation of land records, which started as a small pilot project in District ofBardhaman, has

since been extended to all other districts in West Bengal. Out of 341 blocks in the State, 238 have

already been computerized. Digitization of cadastral maps is now being initiated. Specifically, a pilot

project has been started in Hooghly district for digitization of cadastral maps. Further,

a Land Acquisition Information System has been recently developed to ensure speedy

disposal of land acquisition cases. It generates various reports relating to notification,

declaration, land schedule, estimate preparation etc. speedily and efficiently. The system has been on

trial in land acquisition cases for the New Township Project at Rajarhat.

Tele medicine: Midnapore

Telemedicine is a client friendly high tech system used for critical patients. Purulia
district hospital is linked with the medical colleges like NRS, Medical College and
Burdwan Medical College. Patient's history is sent to the higher centers through
the internet facility and the prescriptions are sent to the sending hospital through. If
required, patients and medical officers of the sending hospital may consult with the
specialists of the medical colleges through video conferencing facility and Internet.

                      

Smart Card

Webel enabled West Bengal is all set to become the first state among all to implement
the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Govt of India has given direction for
 standardization of transport applications in the entire country by way of 'Smart Card'
based Driving License & Registering Certificate using 'Sarathi' and 'Vahan' thus bringing
uniformity in the system throughout the country.

Smart Card, a small electronic card, resembling a credit card in size and shape, contains
an embedded microprocessor, "Smart" enough to hold its own data /information with
possibility of reading/ writing information any number of times.

                                     

The Smart Card brings:

 Easy retrieval of information

 Self Tracking / Data / Transaction Flow with the carrier

 High security on improved Law enforcement

 Scaleable and inter-operable system

 Easy to get the card updated on payment of Tax / Penalty, etc

 Complete Check on duplicity & Forgery

 Inter-operability throughout the country

Computerisation of Government Departments

Webel is in the process of implementing the

Government of West Bengal'scomputerization programme for three common
applications viz. Directing the movement of files, setting up of departmental
personnel information systems and the monitoring of funds deployment in several
Government Departments and Directorates. Sixteen departments viz. Finance, Labour,
Transport, Panchayat & Rural Development, Land and Land Reforms, I & CA, Tourism,
Forest, Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, Higher Education, Environment, Housing etc.
have been identified for introducing the above applications.

GIS for Municipalities

A Geographical Information System (GIS) has been implemented in 10

Municipalities in the State. The spatial data survey and implementation of GIS for Pujali,
Kurseong, Budge Budge, Kalimpong and Bidhan Nagar Municipalities have already
been complete.

Public interfaces through Info kiosks/websites

The official website of the Government of West Bengal which provides

detailedinformation on the Government initiatives and various other details to the
citizens. Webel has also facilitated a number of websites of different government
departments and public interface through Information Kiosks.

Higher Education Department

Database is now developed for the department which can be accessed through their
website and kiosk with Touch Screen and IVR which is ofimmense help to students
seeking admission in various streams in colleges.

Tourism Department
A website and Touch Screen Information kiosks for the Tourism Department have been
developed which provides detailed information of tourist interest that is of great help to
both the domestic as well as international visitors. Webel has also implemented a web-
based application for WBTDC for easy reservation of Tourist Lodges and various tourist
services.

Information & Cultural Affairs Department

A touch screen based Information kiosk has been implemented which offers public utility
services to the citizens. An Information kiosk and Website are now implemented for
Bidhan Nagar Municipality where provision for downloadingof various application
forms and other data relating to grievances etc. are available.
 Geographical Information System

The job of implementing Geographical Information System (GIS) in 20

Municipalities in the State is now on. The spatial data survey and implementation of GIS
for Pujali, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Bidhan Nagar Municipalities have already been
completed.

Connectivity

Through the ISP service, a quality internet bandwidth is now available for common

people as well as Corporate, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and many other
organizations across the State at an affordable price. This service spreads across the rural
areas bringing social & economic stability and opportunity, new channels for learning,
better communication with Govt. and improvements in health & welfare. This can be
seen as the first step to make the rural India the back office of urban India including tele-
education, tele-medicine, e-Governance, entertainment as well as employment generation
by way of high-speed access to information and web based communication.

                                       

Kolkata Police Intranet & Computer Network

Kolkata Police Department has entrusted the Webel Technology

Limited to computerise 45 Police Stations of Kolkata Police and 5 DivisionalOffices and
30 other offices of Battalion and AC's with the aim to increase efficiency of their existing
operations in the Thana offices & Battalion, more effective Crime Control, close liaison
with Lalbazar Higher officials for improved control of Day-to-Day operation of the
entire Police Force. Further it has been entrusted with development of Application
 Software for Police Personnel.

                   

West Bengal State Wide Area Network (WBSWAN)

West Bengal State Wide Area Network is the backbone network for data, voice and
video communication throughout the state of West Bengal and this Government Intranet,
through which e-Governance activities of the Government of West Bengal are being
undertaken, is based on IP (Internet Protocol) technology.

Salient features of WBSWAN:

 WBSWAN network provides connectivity of Data, Voice & Video Communication facilities from State

Switching Centre at Kolkata up to all District Headquarters as well as some important cities on 2 Mbps (E-1

link) leased line of BSNL

 All Block Headquarters will be connected with their District Headquarters on 64 Kbps Leased line

upgradeable to 22. Mbps bandwidth

 Selected Panchayats will be connected with their Block Headquarters during subsequent

phases of expansion of WBSWAN
 State Capital as well as each District Headquarter has Video Conferencing, Multi conferencing facility

through Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) at Kolkata

 Provision for horizontal expansion for connectivity at all levels

WBSWAN services & applications:

 This intranet is aimed at providing seamless connectivity among Government departments / directorates as

well as among the various offices of each department / directorate all over West Bengal

  Government Application Service Provider (ASP) project will be based on this network

 Improve the Government-Citizen and Government-Industry interface as well as efficient intra-

Government information flow resulting in effective, efficient and transparent administration

For more information CLICK HERE.

Braille - Aids

Under the Project "IT Enabled Braille Education for the Blind
Schools of WestBengal and Augmentation of Infrastructure" Webel Mediatronics
Limited is developing IT enabled Braille Education Infrastructure at 27 special schools
and 2 libraries.

The project is sponsored by Dept. of IT, Ministry of Communications and IT,

Govt. of India, Dept. of IT, Govt. of West Bengal and Dept. of Mass Education
Extension, Govt. of West Bengal.

Infrastructure Development

 By installing developed technology and internet connection at 70 blindinstitutes across the country Webel

Mediatronics Limited is on the way to building up a nationwide networked infrastructure of IT enabled

Braille education for visually impaired.

 These institutes will impart Braille education and offer Braille reading material to a maximum

number of visually impaired persons in and outside the facility of the school.

 Visually impaired persons studying at integrated schools and colleges may get Braille study material from

these centres in printed form or can access the electronic libraries of the centres.

 These centres while generating resource of their own, will access, share and exchange resource with others

through Internet and thus, a nationwide commonly accessible pool of Braille resource will be generated.
                           

For more information CLICK HERE.

Useful Links

http://www.wbgov.com/e-gov/English/EnglishHomePage.asp
http://www.itwb.org
http://www.webel-india.com