Banglar Bhumi: Know Your Property

Introduction 

Buying land or property requires a lot of research and caution as no one wants to lose their money to fraud deals. Before buying a property or land, a buyer should check the power of attorney, the original land deed, the compliance from the Real Estate (Regulation and Development Act, 2016), approval documents from the local authority and the encumbrance certificate. 

The Government of Bengal introduced BanglarBhumi, an online web portal, to help customers and businesses find detailed land information. In other words, every land record in West Bengal is available here. This article will give a detailed overview of Banglarbhumi 2021-2022, Khaitan and Plot information, mutation application, and more. 

What is Banglarbhumi?

The Land & Land Reforms and Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department (L&LR) administers and manages the Land record information of West Bengal. Banglarbhumi is the online portal of the L& LR Department. 

Also known as Bangla Bhumi, it offers the following services on its portal:

• Record of Rights Application (ROR)
• Name of the land owner
• Plot maps
• Online application for mutation and conversion
• Information on Land distribution 
• Demarcation of India- Bangladesh border
• Value of the property
• Plot number 
• ISU management
• Thika Tenancy
• Updation and Maintenance of land records
• Customer grievances
• Services to State Land Use Board
• Rent controller
• Training services- ARTI (On Surveys and Settlement) and LTMC (the training center)
• E-payments and E-appointments for Deed registration. 

In addition to the above services, the portal also offers the following citizen-centric services:

• “Know your property” module.
• Searching and tracking the online status of mutation cases.
• Downloading mutation notices.
• Searching properties involved in litigation.
• Delivery of digitally signed certificates copies of maps or record of rights.
• Information sharing through auto-generated SMS and e-mails.
• Enhanced security through dual authentication like Biometric access and location access of data.

Apart from the above services, here are the benefits of the web portal:

• The primary advantage of this portal is that it removes the hassle of a physical visit to the Government offices for procurement of any land records or registration and application forms. 
• The portal is available to the remotest of the locations. Hence, in addition to saving time, it also saves money. 
• Everything one needs to know about land is available in one place. In addition, the information is accessible anytime. 
• The portal is very easy and simple to use by anyone. Furthermore, it also offers the option to search the land record by name.
• Another major benefit is that users get updated information on the land records. All the information is updated in real-time.
• Since the land records are available to the minutest details, the chances of fraud reduce significantly. This initiative has brought major transparency to the purchase and sale of lands. 
• The portal benefits are available to both residents and entrepreneurs who want to set up their industries in the State of West Bengal. Before setting up their businesses, entrepreneurs need a lot of information like different locations along with infrastructure facilities available at the place. If the preferred infrastructure is not available there, it can hinder the business operations. 

What forms are available on the Banglarbhumi website?

The above para lists all the services and benefits available on the portal. Here is the list of forms available for download on the Banglabhumi portal:

• Application for Dumdum Cantonment Land 
• Application for Mouza Map
• Form1(D) Application for Post-facto conversion
• Application for Conversion (English)
• Application for Conversion (Bengali)
• Affidavit for Conversion (English)
• Mutation Application form
• Declaration for Mutation
• Mutation Application Bengal
• Lease of Tea Garden in Retained land 

What is the Record of Rights?

The Record of Rights (ROR) is one of the most important documents the landowner must possess. It contains all the information relating to the land. In other words, it represents the legal status of the property. It is alternatively known as “Porcha” in Bengali. The users can place a request to obtain it on the Land&Land Reforms or Banglarbhumi official portal. Following are the steps the owner would need to follow to obtain the same:

• On the official portal, the user must log in using their username and password.
• After that, go to the “Citizens Service” tab. 
• In the “Services Delivery” drop-down menu, click on the option “ROR request”.
• On the next page, a form will open. Fill in the form with necessary details like Khatian number, District, Block, and others.
• Verify the details with the CAPTCHA code and click on the “Calculate fee”. 
• Select the preferred payment option and click on “Continue”.
• On the next page, verify all the details and click “Continue”.
• Enter the payable amount and click “Confirm”.
• The bank payment page will open to complete the payment process.
• After successful payment, the user will be redirected to the portal. There, an acknowledgement receipt will be issued.
• Save the acknowledgement receipt to download the ROR. 

How to Register for Banglarbhumi in 2024?

Only registered citizens are eligible for the Bangla Bhumi benefits.

To avail of the above benefits and citizen services, citizens must create a profile and register on the Banglarbhumi website. Following are the steps one must follow:

• Step 1: First and foremost, visit the official portal of Banglabhumi,
• Step 2: Next, the user needs to click on “Sign up”. It is available on the topmost part of the page. 
• Step 3: On the next page, a Public Registration Form will appear. In the form, the citizen needs to fill in the following information:

• Full name
• Name of the parents or Guardian
• Residential Address
• Jurisdiction details like Municipality, District, P.S and Pincode
• Email address and the OTP sent to the registered email address
• Mobile number and the OTP sent to the registered number
• Create a password, enter that and reconfirm it.
• CAPTCHA code 
• After filling in the above information, click Submit. It will complete the registration process, and the citizens can start availing of the benefits on the portal. 

How to Apply for Banglarbhumi in 2024?

Here is how you can apply for Banglarbhumi in 2024-

• Go to West Bengal’s e-district website
• Click on “Citizen Registration” at the bottom right of the page
• Fill in the information and hit “Save.”
• A one-time password (OTP) will be sent to your registered mobile number
• Once you enter the OTP, a confirmation email will be sent to your registered email address.
• Click the activation link to complete the registration.
• Now, login to the Banglarbhumi portal with your username and password. Fill out the details for the property records.
• Upload the necessary documents and click on “Submit.”
• You will receive an acknowledgement slip and application number.
• After verification, you will receive the RoR certificate from the relevant authority.

Benefits of Banglarbhumi

The Banglarbhumi land reform portal makes buying and selling properties in West Bengal simple and convenient. Here are the various advantages of using the portal-

• It provides easy access to West Bengal land records, including ownership, survey number, land area, and land type, anytime, anywhere.
• The ability to search land records by name on the Banglarbhumi portal makes buying and selling properties much easier.
• For entrepreneurs looking to start a business, the Banglarbhumi website is a convenient platform to check infrastructure availability. They can also get online Khatian checks on lands where they wish to set up the business.
• Banglarbhumi offers access to West Bengal Khatian plot information by name and even supports online Khatian checks.

How to View Banglarbhumi Land Record via the ‘Know Your Property’ option?

As mentioned above, the Banglabhumi portal offers multiple services to its users. One of the major benefits is getting all information about the land concerned in one place. Now, if the user wants to find information through Khatian and Plot information, there are 2 options: Query search and Know your Property. Under query search, the user first needs to select “Query search” and then enter “Query number” and Query Year”. Next, enter the CAPTCHA and click show. 

For “Know your property”, the citizens shall follow the following steps:

• The first step is to visit the official portal of Land & Land Reforms and Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department West Bengal or Banglabhumi.
• There, click on the “Know your Property” option on the Homepage.
•  A page “Khatian & Plot Information” will open. 
• There, the user will have the option to search by Kahtian or search by Plot. 
• For Mouza identification, the citizen must fill in the following information: District, Mouza and Block. 
• If the District/Mouza/Block name displayed is green, it means it centrally co-located live data. If the display is blue, it is legacy data, and if it is black, it means no data is available for the search. 

How to Check RS And LR Information Online at Banglarbhumi Portal?

Under the West Bengal land records, RS means Revisional Settlement, and LR means Land reforms. The Banglarbhumi portal allows citizens to check this information with convenience on the portal. Follow these steps to check the RS and LR information:

• Go to the official page of Banglarbhumi. 
• Log in with the username and password. If the citizen is not registered, they must first complete the registration process. 
• After login, click on the tab “Citizens Service” on the homepage. 
• On the next page, click on the LR/RS option. 
• After that, for Mouza identification, choose the District name, Block and Mouza of the piece of land.
• Then, click on one option between LR plot no. (Sabek Dag> Hal Dag) and RS plot no. (Hal Dag> Sabek Dag) on the portal.
• Lastly, enter the plot number and the CAPTCHA.
• Click on view.
• The LR/RS information will be visible on the screen. 

How to find West Bengal Khatian Plot Information by Name?

Khatian, a Persian word, means a record of rights. It is a document which represents the ownership of the land. These can be documents determining possession, assessing Land development tax or simply ownership. The State Government of the land owner issues the Khatian number. As mentioned before, the entire process to search the Khatian and Plot information on the Banglarbhumi web portal is simple and convenient. If the citizen wants to find the West Bengal land record search by name, they need to follow these steps:

• The user needs to go to the official portal of the West Bengal land reforms or the Bangla Bhumi page. 
• Once on the home page, go to the “Know your property” tab.
• On the next page, the citizens need to enter the following names for Mouza identification: The District name, the Block name and Mouza. From the drop-down menu, select the desired name in all 3 options. 
• Next, the citizen needs to decide whether they want to search by Khaitan or search by the plot. Choose one option. 
• If the “Search by Khaitan” option is chosen, one needs to enter the Khaitan number. 
• The Khaitan number may have a “/” or be without it. If it’s 222/3, enter 222 in the first box, and 3 in the second box. If it is only 222, then enter 222 in the first box.
• Next, enter the CAPTCHA code, which is case sensitive, and click on the “View” button. The Khaitan details will be available on the next page.
• If the “Search by Plot” option is chosen, the user must enter the plot number. 
• Also, enter the CAPTCHA and click on the view button. The next page will show the plot details like plot number, plot classification, and more. 

What is the mutation process on the Banglarbhumi portal?

The method of transferring the title or ownership of property, during the sale or transfer, is known as Mutation. To execute the mutation, the property needs to be registered beforehand. Following is the registration process:

• Go to the official website of Banglarbhumi.
• On the navigation bar, go to the “Online application” tab. In the list, choose the “Mutation Application Link”. 
• Fill in the applicant details, and the transfer details and upload the necessary documents like a legal heir, registered deed, and more. 
• Click on “Submit”. Save the reference number generated on the next page. It will help check the application status in future. 
• To complete the registration, select the fee payment option and pay by debit card or net banking.
• Once payment is done, the mutation application formalities end. The mutation case for the land is generated immediately on the portal. 
• There is an option for offline payment as well. The offline payment status can also be reviewed online through the “Application-GRN” search from the online application. Also, mutation fees vary for commercial land, non-commercial land, agricultural land, non-agriculture land, and industrial land. 

Mutation Application status

• Go to the “Citizens services” tab and click on “Mutation status”. 
• To check the mutation status, users can search by Casewise or Deed wise.
• After choosing that, select the District, Block and Mouza, and click “Search”.

Time Taken to Get Services from Banglarbhumi

The Banglarbhumi portal offers a lot of services for laymen and entrepreneurs like online registration, mutation application, and more. However, if there are delays on the website, the purpose is lost somewhere. Here is a list of services, and the time that will be taken to deliver these services through the portal. 

How to submit a Grievance application on the Banglarbhumi portal?

One of the primary benefits of this West Bengal Bangla Bhumi portal is it addresses all the public grievances. To submit a grievance, one needs to follow these steps:

• On the homepage of the official portal of the Banglarbhumi website, go to the “Public Grievance application” tab. 
• There select the District, Block and Mouza. 
• After that, enter the details like Petition type (Mutation, Record Correction, Conversion, and others), Petition details, and Khatian Exits. 
• Enter the personal details like First name, Last name, Gender, Address, Name, and type of Guardian, Aadhaar no., Mobile no., Email address and Plot details. 
• Upload the necessary documents.
• Enter the CAPTCHA code and click “Submit”.
• On clicking Submit, a Unique Petition Number (UPN) is generated. The users can also download the application form in PDF.

Grievance complaint status

• To check the status of the grievance procedure, again go to the homepage of the Banglarbhumi portal.
• Instead of the Grievance application tab, go to the Grievance status/ declaration tab. 
• On the next page, fill in the UPN (Unique Petition Number), enter the CAPTCHA, and click “Show”.

Is there an app for Banglarbhumi?

Yes, there is a mobile application, known as the Jomir Tothya. The Land & Land Reforms Department of the Government of West Bengal developed the app to provide doorstep services and live land data 24/7 to its citizens. It is available in 3 languages: English, Bengali and Devanagari. The Banglarbhumi app is available on Android and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. The following information is available on the app:

• Khatian details like name of the owner, type of owner, Father/Husband’s name, total area and number of plots mentioned in Khatian.
• Plot details like Tenant type, Shared areas, land classification, co-sharers of the plot.
• Information about the convertible land.
• Processing fees and payment details like Waarrish, Conversion and Mutation.
• Case status of hearing, mutation or investigation.
• All information about the Officers in charge in blocks, sub-division or Districts.

Final words

The above article gives a detailed overview of the Banglarbhumi web portal. The Banglarbhumi dashboard aims to bring ease, simplicity and transparency to land transactions. If there is any new information, it will be updated on the portal. Further, with their security feature, citizens don’t have to worry about their documents going into the wrong hands. Remember to upload all the necessary documents, otherwise, the property will not be considered valid. 

Also, ensure you have the necessary funds to pay the fees for registration, stamp duty, mutation application, requesting ROR, or others. In case of any doubts, you can always consult the experts like Tata Capital. They can also help you arrange funds and optimize a plan as per your needs. ­

FAQs

1. What information can I find on Banglarbhumi?

Banglarbhumi is an online website launched by the West Bengal government. It provides access to various land-related information such as land records, property details, ownership records, property valuation, plot information, and land classification.

2. How do I check my land records on Banglarbhumi?

To check land records on Banglarbhumi, visit the official portal, select the “Know Your Property” option, and a page “Khatian & Plot Information” will open. On this page, you can search and view specific land record details.

3. How can I track the status of my application on Banglarbhumi?

You can track your application status on Banglarbhumi by visiting the e-district website and clicking the “Inspection Report” at the bottom right. Enter your “Application Identification Number” and click “Search Document” to know the status of your application.

4. Can I access Banglarbhumi services from a mobile device?

Yes, Banglarbhumi services are accessible from mobile devices. The portal is designed to be mobile-friendly, allowing users to access land records from their smartphones or tablets. Alternatively, users can download the mobile application called Jomir Tothya, which was developed by the Land & Land Reforms Department.