6.

SURVEY AND SETTLEMENT

6.1 History of Land Survey
Land is the most precious resource for
mankind, man always tried to measure the land
under his possession. Later on, kings and rulers
felt the necessity of measuring the land for
collecting revenue from the ryots on agricultural
yields.
For the administration of Lands, the
Survey and Settlement Directorate was
constituted in the year 1858, which is one of the
oldest Directorate in Tamil Nadu and it has
crossed 160 years of public service. Land is the
most important factor of production. A sound
and robust land registry system and accurate
measurements are prerequisite for managing
this resource.
During the reign of king Raja Raja I of
Chola Dynasty the first systematic Survey of
Land was undertaken. Modern Survey was
started during British period. Col. William
Lambton laid the baseline of 12 kms from

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St.Thomas Mount to Perambauk
(Perumbakkam), Sholinganallur taluk of Tamil
Nadu with a Theodolite machine in 1802 AD and
started the Great Trigonometrical Survey.

Tamil Nadu is the origin of 'Great Arc'

Survey and it took 62 years to complete the
work throughout the Nation. In olden days
Survey work was undertaken using theodolite,
Chain and Cross Staff. Many different methods
starting from Khasara, Plain Tables, Triangle Ray
method, Khalihote method have been
experimented but mostly diagonal and offset
method have been used because of its accuracy.
The Survey methods of older days have reached
now to digital Surveying, with modern
instruments such as Electronic Total Station
(ETS), Global Positioning System (GPS)/
Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS).

This Directorate has successfully

completed the following Survey Schemes and
undertaken the survey works using modern
survey equipments.

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 S.
Types of Survey Year
No
1 Initial Survey 1826
2 Ryotwari initial Survey 1858
3 Hill Village Survey 1883
4 Block maps in Town 1891–1894
Survey
5 Resurvey 1905-1926
6 Updating of Registry 1979-1987
Scheme (UDR)
7 Natham Survey 1989-1992
8 Supplemental Town 1989-1997
Survey
9 Modern Town Survey From 2002 to till
date
10 Modern Resurvey From 2016 to till
date

In the year 1852 itself, Surveyor

Radhanath Sikdar of Kolkatta measured the
height of the Mount Everest as 29,002 feet using
a older type Theodolite machine. While it was
measured through modern equipments the
height of the peak has been confirmed exactly

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as 29,037 feet. This illustrates the dedication of
Surveyors in those days and ensures the
development and accuracy of survey techniques
adopted.

6.2 Organizational set up

The Hon’ble former Chief Minister

inaugurated the "Survey House" at Chepauk on
18.07.2001. The Directorate functioning at
“Survey House”, has two wings viz., Survey and
Settlement. All Survey and Settlement schemes
and other related works are designed,
implemented and monitored by the Directorate.
The Central Survey Office is the technical wing
of the Directorate and it prepares maps and
updates the same. The District Level Survey
activities are carried out by District Offices, each
headed by an Assistant Director of Survey with
Field Surveyors, Draftsman, Supervising officials
and Ministerial staff.

Further Survey sections are also

functioning in each Taluk offices headed by the
Deputy Inspector of Survey who is responsible

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for maintenance of land records and marking of
Field boundaries. The subsequent changes in the
ownership on the transaction of lands are being
made in the relevant registers.

202 
 
 The organizational chart of the directorate

Director
Survey and Settlement

Additional Additional
Settlement
Officer Settlement Director Director
(Gudalur Officer (Administration) (Comp &
Janmam) (Directorate) schemes)

ASO ASO Joint Joint The

Principal
(North) (South) Director Director / Joint
/APA (Admini (Central
/PA Survey
Director
stration)   Office)
(Training)

Settlement Regional Deputy Survey Training

Tashildars Directors of Survey Institute,
Town and Natham Chennai, Coimbatore,
Madurai, Trichirappali Orathanadu
Settlement Units)
 

Assistant Assistant Assistant

Directors Director Director
(District Level) Maps Drawing 

Survey
Section in all
Taluk Offices

Taluk Deputy
Inspector of Survey

Taluk Sub- Taluk Senior

Inspector of Draftsman
Survey

Firka Surveyor Taluk Land Records

Draftsman

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 Table-6.1
Sanctioned Posts to Survey Wing

S.No Name of the Wing No. of Posts

1 Field Wing 5,507

2 Technical Wing 2,080

3 Ministerial Wing 1,079

4 Others 19
Total 8,685

6.2.1 Survey Maintenance Work

Petitions seeking patta transfers and
Sub-divisions are being received from the public
through e-service centres and Registrar Offices,
are registered in the Survey Wing of Taluk Office
and forwarded to the concerned Firka Surveyors.
Orders on fixing up of Field boundary and Patta
transfer are being issued by the Tahsildars, on
the inspection reports submitted by the Firka
Surveyors after scrutiny by the Survey officials

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of the Taluks concerned. These are the routine
works of Taluk offices.
6.3 Schemes of Survey
6.3.1 Natham Survey
Natham Survey Scheme was introduced in
1989 to Survey the lands falling under the
classification of Natham Poramboke which were
used as residences and to record the enjoyment
right of enjoyers in the ‘A’ register. After the
completion of the Survey process Pattas had
been issued to those who were actually residing
in the house. The Survey work has been
completed in all districts. Settlement process has
also been completed and pattas have been
issued.
6.3.2 Hill Village Survey
Hill Village Survey was initiated in 1983 in
67 Villages and it has been completed in all
villages spread over in 6 districts.

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6.3.3 Town Survey
Town Survey has some differences from
the Cadastral Survey, which is being used for
rural areas because of large built up area in the
Urban areas. Here traverse lines are aligned
along the streets, survey is conducted Block
wise and the Land Records are maintained in the
form of Ward maps/ Block maps, Town Survey
Land Register (TSLR) and Chitta. Whenever, new
areas are declared as Municipalities and
Corporations by the Government, a fresh survey
is conducted by adopting Town Survey Method.
As of now 12 Corporations and 125
Municipalities are in Tamil Nadu. In the above
said 12 corporations Town Survey has been
Completed as per the existing boundary limits of
Corporations by traditional methods. Further in
6 Corporations and in its extended areas Town
Survey is in progress using modern equipments.
The remaining 6 corporations are to be taken up
for town survey using modern equipments.

206 
 
 Out of the total number of 125
municipalities in Tamil Nadu, Town survey has
been completed in 84 municipalities by
traditional methods. In 13 municipalities town
survey is in progress using modern equipments.
In the remaining 28 municipalities town survey
is to be taken up using modern equipments.
6.3.4 Survey using Modern Equipments
Survey is ensured Millimeter level accuracy
by using the modern equipments and also helps
in creation of digital database of Land parcels
and their attributes. This will help the public to
identify about their land and know the details
without the help of Surveyors and make the
process transparent.
Digitalized records (maps) can be hosted
in GIS environment and this will greatly facilitate
land use planning and monitoring. Further usage
of Government/ Public land can be monitored
through satellite imagery superimposed on
digital maps and unauthorised use of such land

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can be detected easily and preventive measures
can be taken.
Initially, modern survey was taken up with
the equipments of Global Positioning System
(GPS) and Electronic Total Station (ETS) in
Urban areas to speed up the Survey process and
to minimize the legal disputes which arise due to
small measurement errors. Now, many areas of
the State are being surveyed with modern
equipments.
6.3.5 Resurvey
Now, Resurvey work is going on in Hosur
Taluk of Krishnagiri district and Kothagiri Taluk
of The Nilgiris district. Differential Global
Positioning System – Real Time Kinematic
(DGPS-RTK) methods are used in Resurvey
work.
Action is being taken to set up a network
of Continuously Operating Reference Stations
(CORS) in 74 locations across the State. In
these locations, Circular Pillars upto the height of

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6 to 8 feet on the top of the buildings of Taluk
Offices/ Collectorates have been constructed by
the Public Works Department and provision of
required network facilities and UPS, Surge
Protector etc, is in progress. As a part of this
work a control centre at this Directorate is being
created with required network. With the
establishment of CORS network, DGPS – RTK
based survey will be faster and of millimeter of
accuracy. This work will be completed within
two to three years.
6.3.6 Digital India Land Records
Modernization Programme (DILRMP)

The Government of India has started

National Land Records Modernization
programme (NLRMP) to modernize land records
all over India by merging two existing Central
Sector Schemes viz., Computerization of Land
Records and Strengthening of Revenue
Administration and Updation of Land Records

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(CLR & SRA and ULR schemes). The National
Land Records Modernisation Programme has
been redesigned as “Digital India Land Records
Modernisation Programme” and the funding
pattern has been changed to make it 100%
centrally, with effect from 01.04.2016.
This scheme ensures the improved service
to the public with the objectives of modernizing
management of land records, minimizing scope
of disputes on land properties, enhancing
transparency in the maintenance of land records
and facilitating guaranteed conclusive titles
using digital technology and better process
control.
6.4 The present types of land records
prepared and maintained as follows

6.4.1 Rural Areas

™ ‘A’ Register – In the first page of this
register under History sheet, details of
location of the village, the year in which
survey was done lastly, total extent of

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 the village, category-wise classification
of lands with extent, assessment details,
landowner’s name, details of important
Habitats and monuments, details of
Fishing rights, number of revenue
officials working in the village
administration are shown.
™ Chitta – Details of Survey Field
Number, Sub Division Number, extent,
assessment of Lands owned by an
individual are arranged alphabetically
and the register is maintained to know
the details of the Land Tax to be paid by
a land owner.
™ Field Measurement Book (FMB)– The
combined volume of field measurement
sketches of all individual fields in a
village is called Field Measurement
Book. In this book separate sketches
for each survey number, sub-division,
boundaries, measurements and “Details”

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 are registered. This book is being used
to know the location of each survey
field, to register cultivation details and
to solve survey field boundary disputes.
™ Adangal - This Register contains details
about Patta lands of Wet, Dry Manavari,
Assessed waste lands (Wet/ Dry) and all
the details of Poramboke lands of
village. This register is to be maintained
Fasli wise. This register is being
maintained with survey-number,
classification and irrigation source wise.
In each survey number the details of
cultivation and non-cultivation periods
are registered as "Details".
™ Village Maps - It is a combined
sketches of Field Measurement
Sketches. Village roads, irrigation
sources, temples, Tanks including places
of social importance are mentioned by
specific symbols.

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 ™ Traverse Survey - Traverse survey
records are maintained by registering
Angle and distances of the village
boundaries and boundaries of survey
fields dividing the village in kandam
boundaries using Theodolite
instruments. It is the basic frame work
of the survey in the village.
6.4.2 Urban Areas
™ Town Survey Land Register (TSLR) –
This register contains the details of the
Town Survey Number–wise particulars
correlated with old Survey Numbers,
Extent, Assessment, Door No. and street
names, names of the land owners and
the details of the utility of lands.
™ Block Map – Block Map is combination
of Town Survey numbers having
particular areas which the Cadastral
survey field sketches of Town Survey

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 are surveyed based on the roads
available at present.
6.5 Computerization of Land Records
To digitize the land records and to offer
them to the public online, specific application
software and data base have been developed
with the help of National Informatic Centre (NIC)
as listed below:-
™ Tamil NILAM, (Tamil Nadu Info-system
on Land Administration and
Management) envisages computerisation
of 'A'-Register and Chitta for online
management in rural areas.
™ COLLABLAND, for digitising FMB, Block
maps and Village maps and hosting
them in the web for viewing, download
and online management.
™ Web-based Tamil NILAM (Urban),
for online management of URBAN land
records such as TSLR, Town 'A'-register
and other related records.

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 Tamil Nilam has been operational in
276 Rural Taluks and 12 Urban Taluks out of
292 Taluks in the State and action is being taken
to bring online of remaining 2 Rural Taluks and
2 Urban Taluks.
6.5.1 Natham Land Records
All 1.42 Crores Natham Land Records have
been computerized and 99.67% of records have
been verified so far. The verification process is in
progress. On completion of verification and
rectification of errors, the data will be hosted in
Tamil Nilam data base Taluk wise.
6.5.2 Urban Land Records
Out of 37.87 lakh of Urban Land Records
37.78 lakh records have so far been
computerized and verified. The works related
remaining records will be completed shortly.
As of now, 36 Towns, 3 Corporations and
Data pertaining to all the 10 Taluks in Chennai
District, have been brought online. Action is
being taken to bring the land records of the

215 
 
remaining Towns and the urban areas of the
State viz. all Municipalities and Corporations
online early.

6.5.3 Field Measurement Sketches/ Block

Maps

Digitization of Field Measurement Sketches

and Block maps (for urban areas) is being done
using COLLABLAND Software. So far 53.90 Lakh
Field Measurement Sketches have been digitized
out of the available 55.25 Lakh sketches. The
FMS belongs to 84 Taluks out of 292 Taluks have
fully been brought online and 33.06 Lakh FMS
out of 53.90 Lakh digitized FMS have been
brought online in total. The Balance FMS will be
digitized and ported early. The Hon’ble Chief
Minister of Tamil Nadu has inaugurated the
e-Service of FMS on 04.01.2018 for 43 Taluks.
The public can download digitally signed FMS
from Internet. Further, preparation of combined
Sketch of Village/ Taluk/ District maps by

216 
 
mosaicing all the FMS for the use of official work
and also for the use of public is in progress.
In addition to that, Digitization of Block
Maps has also been taken up. In Chennai
District, the Digitization of Block Maps through
outsourcing is now in progress. Necessary orders
have been issued to Collectors of other Districts
to carry over the work through outsourcing. The
mosaicing of Village maps is also in progress.
The aforesaid works of computerisation of
Natham, Urban Land Records, computerisation
of Field measurement sketches and bringing
them online is considered as a milestone in
survey and a great achievement of the
Government.

6.5.4 Land Records Management Centres

(LRMCs)
Land Records Management Centres
(LRMC) are planned to be created in a phased
manner in every Taluk, with necessary

217 
 
infrastructure to keep the manual land records
safely, and to maintain in digital format, so as to
enable to furnish copies to public on demand.
These centres can also be used to provide all
services being offered by the Revenue and
Disaster Management Department. 76 LRMCs
have so far been created and the work is in
progress in 78 taluks out of sanctioned 154
Taluks. Based on the announcement made in
the Legislative Assembly in the year 2016-2017
it has been planned to create 100 more LRMCs.
The work will be completed in due course.
6.6 Additional Survey Training Institute
and Training Cell for Modern Survey

In the Survey Training Institute,

Orathanadu of Thanjavur District, an additional
“Training Cell” has been created to impart
training in Modern Survey and digital mapping,
with necessary Modern equipments and
infrastructures.

218 
 
 In addition to the Survey Training
Institute, Orathanadu, action is being taken to
create a new Survey Training Centre in Chennai
to impart advanced Training in Modern
Surveying and Mapping with modern facilities at
a cost of Rs. 2.45 Crore.
6.6.1 Preparation of Maps in Tamil –
Village-Taluk- District

In the Central Survey office, Chennai, all

the Village, Taluk and District Maps in Tamil
Language are being prepared. All the District
and Taluk maps have been digitalized so far and
the preparation of maps in Tamil language for all
villages is in progress. The Village, Taluk and
District maps will be made available for public on
completion of digitization and validation.
Publishing of Maps in Tamil Language will be of
great use to the village people. All Government
departments can also download these maps
according to their requirements, through
Internet.

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6.7 Online System of Land Records-
Benefits

The Scheme of digitization of Land Records

and maintaining in online is beneficial to the
public in the following ways.

(A) Benefits to the Public

™ People can apply for online Patta transfer

through the Common Service Centre (CSC)
situated nearer to their residences, instead
of going to Taluk offices.

™ Computer-generated acknowledgement is
provided immediately to the applicants,
and are being accounted for.

™ Applications are instantaneously

transferred to concerned officers and the
current status can be ascertained by the
public through the website
tamilnilam.tn.gov.in/revenue/login.html

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 ™ Applicants are being informed of the action
taken on their application through SMS to
their registered mobile number.
™ Digitally signed Patta can be downloaded
from the website without going to Taluk
offices.
(B) Benefits to the department
™ With Computerization of workflow, work
load of the officials is significantly reduced.
™ Since the higher officials monitor the
different kind of skills of the officials, their
efficiency is found to be the best in the
field
™ Since, the applications are received
through online, there is no omissions and
greater accountability has been brought in.
™ The Online generated Management
Information System (MIS) reports enable
the controlling officers from Collectors to
other downward Officers to monitor the

221 
 
 process, to analyze the problems and to
take appropriate action.
6.7.1 Integration of Data Base of Tamil
Nilam with Registration Department
The Land Records are being
computerised and brought online. While
the land transactions are taking place at
Registrar Offices, the Registration
authorities are permitting the registration
process, only after confirming the
ownership details of lands, with the land
records, which are available on the web.
This helps to avoid the fraudulent land
transactions.
For the issuance of Patta Transfer
orders immediately after the land
transactions held at registrar offices, the
Data Base of Registration department has
been integrated with the Tamil Nilam Data
Base of Survey Department. Based on the
facility provided on 12.02.2018, the Patta
transfer orders can be issued to public

222 
 
 immediately without calling for fresh
applications.
6.8 Facilities provided for better
performance of the Directorate:
6.8.1 Office cum Residential Quarters to
Firka Surveyors

Based on the Announcement made by the

Hon'ble Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
under rule 110 on the floor of the Legislative
Assembly during the financial year 2013-14
Office cum Residential Quarters for Firka
Surveyors have been constructed in 100 Firkas.
This will enable the public to easily approach the
Firka Surveyors to fulfill their requirements.
As per the G.O. (Ms) No.164, Revenue
[SS-II] Department, dated 04.05.2017, action is
being taken to construct 50 more Office cum
Residential Quarters to Firka Surveyors at an
estimated cost of Rs. 7.68 crore.
As per the announcement made by the
Hon’ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster

223 
 
Management on the floor of the Tamil Nadu
Legislative Assembly, the Government have
sanctioned Rs. 1.62 Crores for the construction
of 10 more office cum Residential Quarters to
Firka Surveyors for the year 2017 – 2018 vide
G.O.(Ms) No. 415, Revenue and Disaster
Management Department. Dated 15.12.2017.
The preliminary works for the construction has
been commenced by Public Works Department.
6.8.2 Laptops to Survey Officials
Laptops have been provided to 1,140 Firka
Surveyors, 285 Deputy Inspector of Survey and
126 Land Records Draftsman to facilitate online
management of Land Records and to the use of
public.
6.8.3 Provision of 3G Data cards to 264
Firka Surveyors

To expedite the process of Online Patta

Transfer, action is being taken to provide initially
264 numbers of 3G Data cards to Firka
Surveyors with annual subscription. Data cards

224 
 
will be provided to the remaining Firka
Surveyors in phases.
6.8.4 Laptops to Higher Officials
In order to monitor the online patta
transfer schemes which are being implemented
by the Taluk offices, 50 higher officials of this
department have been provided Laptops and 3G
data cards.
6.8.5. Provision of Sim Cards with CUG
facility

1600 SIM Cards under CUG (Closed User

Group) facility have been provided to Firka

Surveyors, Inspectors, Deputy Inspectors and

Sub-Inspectors of Survey of this department to

facilitate easy communication related to Patta

transfer and other official works.

6.8.6 Filling up of Vacancies

Tamilnadu Government have recruited 340

Field Surveyors and 291 Draftsman through

TNPSC from 01.01.2017 to 31.12.2017.

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Moreover, TNPSC was requested to fill up 156

posts of Field Surveyor and 74 posts of

Draftsman. Accordingly, an examination was

conducted by the TNPSC and the results are

awaited. Further 88 Surveyors and 41 Draftsman

posts have been filled by appointing legal heirs

of deceased Government servants on

compassionate ground. Action is also being

taken to fill up 33 surveyor posts through

compassionate ground.

6.8.7 Modernization of Photo Zinco Press

The Photo zinco press of Central Survey

office is being modernized at a cost of Rupees

one Crore. Machineries worth Rs.60.94 Lakh

have already been installed and the civil work

and minor works at a value of Rs.12.12 Lakh

has been completed and the remaining works

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will be completed shortly. The renovated press

has commenced its printing works. In the

modernized Photo Zinco Press by using the

newly purchased and installed machines,

District, Taluk and Village Maps along with

survey and settlement forms are printed and

distributed to all settlement wings and district

survey offices. In future, if orders received from

the Government for the need of other

departments they can also be done here.

6.8.8 Additional Building for preservation

of records

To preserve the old precious Land records

such as Block Maps, Village Maps, Taluk Maps

and District Maps of all over the State which are

available with Central Survey Office, Chennai, an

227 
 
additional building has been constructed and

inaugurated by the Hon’ble Former Chief

Minister of Tamil Nadu on 28.12.2015 at a cost

of Rs. 2.20 Crores in the ‘Survey House’

campus.

6.8.9 AMMA Mobile application of

e-services

For easy access of land records by the

public a mobile application of e-services (AMMA

Mobile Apps) has been launched by Hon’ble Chief

Minister on 01.03.2018. Through this facility the

public can view the details of lands by gently

touching their mobile phone screens.

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6.9 Awards for Survey Department
6.9.1 'Best Practices Award' 2016 for
Online Patta Transfer System
In recognition of the services rendered and

initiatives taken by this Directorate, Hon'ble

Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, presented

'Best Practices Award' for the year 2016

along with a cash reward of Rs.2.00 Lakh in the

70th Independence Day celebrations held on

15.08.2016. This award has been given for

having computerized all land records and for

implementing Online Patta Transfer System to

make available updated land records online for

the public and for facilitating viewing and

downloading of ‘A’ Register and Chitta anytime

from anywhere.

229 
 
 230 
 
6.9.2 CSI–Nihilent e-Goverance Award

This Directorate has been presented with

the prestigious CSI-Nihilent e-Governance Award

2015-2016 by Computer Society of India for the

better implementation of “AMMA Land Records

Online Mutation for Title Transfer” on 9th

December 2016.

6.9.3 Skoch Order – Of - Merit

Skoch order - of - Merit award presented

to the Department of Survey and Settlement for

successful implementation of online system for

Land Records.

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 SKOCH ORDER – OF - MERIT

232 
 
 
233 
Pilot study of Modern Resurvey
using DGPS and RTK Technology
Thiruvannamalai District
 
 
234 
CORS setup –District Collectorate –
Thiruvallur
 
 
235 
LRMC at Tambaram Taluk-
Kancheepuram District
 
236 
Office cum Residential Quarters to Firka Surveyor
Uthiramerur Taluk, Kancheepuram District
 
 
237 
DILRMP Survey Training Institute-Orathandu,
Thanjavur District
 
 
238 
Hon’ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has inaguarated the
e-service of FMS on 04.01.2018 for 43 Taluks
 
 
239 
Hon’ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has inaguarated Amma
Mobile (Access and Manage through Mobile from Anywhere
e-Service of Land Records) app on 01.03.2018
 
6.10 Settlement
The Revenue Department use to collect a
share of the produce of land by means of land
Revenue. The procedure adopted to determine
such assessment is known as Settlement of Land
Revenue. The assessment of land revenue is
determined based on the classification and
taram of the soil which is determined with
reference to the irrigation sources, quality and
fertility of soil.
Initially, the Ryotwari Settlement
procedure by which the Assessment is
determined based on the classification of soil
and irrigation sources had been introduced in
the year 1879-1880 onwards replacing the old
procedure of Permanent Settlement in which
Assessment was collected without adopting the
soil classification procedure. However, land tax
was continued to be collected under Permanent
Settlement procedures in the lands held by
Zamindars/ Inamdars, in such estates. At the

240 
 
time of independence, most of Tamil Nadu was
covered by Ryotwari settlement, except the
Zamin estates and Inams estates. Hence, after
attaining Independence, to reduce the burden of
ryots and to do away with the class of such
landholders altogether, several Landholder
Abolition Acts have been enacted. The
Settlement Work had been completed under
most of these Acts and the work/ appeal is
pending under the following Acts:
I. The Tamil Nadu Estates (Abolition and
Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948
(Tamil Nadu Act XXVI/1948)
II. The Tamil Nadu Inam Estates (Abolition
and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963
(Tamil Nadu Act 26/1963).
III. The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition
and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963
(Tamil Nadu Act 30/1963).
IV. The Tamil Nadu Gudalur Janmam
Estates (Abolition and Conversion into
Ryotwari) Act, 1969 (Tamil Nadu Act
24/1969).

241 
 
 Under Estates, Inams and Minor Inams
Abolition Acts, the landholders were abolished
and survey and settlement works were
conducted. As on today, the settlement work
has been completed in all the areas except in
the some villages.
6.10.1 The Tamil Nadu Inam Estates
(Abolition and Conversion into
Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu
Act 26/1963)

The Act provides for the acquisition of

rights of land holders in Inam Estates in the
State of Tamil Nadu and the introduction of the
ryotwari settlement in such estates. The
Settlement work has been completed in all the
villages taken over under this Act, except in the
following villages that had earlier been covered
by court cases

242 
 
 Sl.
Name of the Village Taluk and District
No.
1 Arayapuram Thattimal Papanasam Taluk,
Padugai Thanjavur District
2 Ramachandran Koil Tharangambadi Taluk,
Pattu Nagapattinam District
3 Kazhnivaipatti Ponnamaravathy Taluk,
Pudukkottai District

4 Chennasandiram
5 Thimmasandiram Hosur Taluk,
Krishnagiri District
6 Uliyalam

6.10.2 The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams

(Abolition and Conversion into
Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Tamil Nadu
Act 30/1963)

The Act provides for the acquisition, the

rights of the Inamdars in minor inams in the
State of Tamil Nadu and the introduction of
Ryotwari Settlement in such Inams. The
Settlement work has been completed in all the
estates taken over under this Act, except the
following villages that had earlier been covered
by court cases.

243 
 
Sl. No. Name of the Village Taluk and District
1 Karanapatti Ponnamaravathy Taluk,
Pudukkottai District

2 Kothandaramapuram
Iluppur Taluk,
3 Nilayapatti Pudukkottai District

4 Agasthiyampalli Vedharanyam Taluk,

Nagapattinam District

5 Tharikkomban Ilaiyangudi Taluk,

Sivagangai District

6 Birasandiram

7 Ellayasandiram Hosur Taluk,

Krishnagiri District
8 Marasandiram

9 Suryanarayanapuram Pattukottai Taluk

Thanjavur District

In respect of all these villages, settlement

work was delayed because of court cases filed
by respective land holders. Now, except in the
case of Ramachandran Koil Pattu village, all
other court cases have been disposed and the
survey and settlement works have been
commenced.

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6.10.3 The Tamil Nadu Gudalur Janmam
Estates (Abolition and Conversion into
Ryotwari) Act, 1969 (Tamil Nadu Act
24/1969)

An action has been initiated under this Act

for the acquisition of rights of the Janmies in
Janmam estates of the Gudalur and Pandalur
Taluks in Nilgiris District and for the introduction
of Ryotwari Settlement. The settlement process
was not completed, due to filing of a number of
Civil Appeals and Writ Petitions by some of the
leaseholders and janmies before the High Court
and then before the Supreme Court challenging
the inclusion of the entire Act in the 9th schedule
of the Constitution. As the Supreme Court has
finally upheld the inclusion of the entire Act in
the 9th schedule of the Constitution, action has
been taken to complete the settlement process.
Out of total extent of 80,087.74 acres of
Janmam land, 45,101.46 acres have been
settled so far and extents of 34,986.28 acres
remain to be settled.

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 The details of the settled area so far are as
follows:

Area
S.No Particulars
(in acres)
1 Total Janmam area 80,087.74
2 Total area settled 45,101.46
3 Handed over to Forest 17,014.43
Department in the
settled Area.
4 Balance area for 34,986.28
settlement. (1-2)

With regard to the balance area of

34,986.28 acres for settlement, the High Court
had directed the Settlement Officer/ District
Revenue Officer to consider the petitions
received under section 8, 9, 10 of the Act. The
present stage of the petitions is as follows:-

Number of petitions received 566

Petitions disposed 548
Pending with the Settlement Officer 18

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 In order to settle the remaining unsettled
area 34,986.28 acres in Gudalur Janmam Lands,
it has been decided to form a committee under
Additional Chief Secretary/ Commissioner of
Land Administration to decide on the
time-expired lease cases and encroachments. In
this regard following steps have been taken:

I) A District Committee have been formed

under the chairmanship of the District
Collector, the Nilgiris with the following
members:

a) Assistant Director of Survey and Land

Records, The Nilgiris
b) Settlement Officers-I and II (Janmam
Lands)
c) Revenue Divisional Officer, Gudalur.
d) District Forest Officer, Gudalur.
e) Forest Settlement Officer, The Nilgiris.
f) Tahsildars - Gudalur and Pandalur
taluks

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II) The District Level Committee is convened
once in a month to decide on the work to
be performed by the Settlement Officers I
and II, to review the time-expired lease
cases and fix the target, review the court
cases and send a report to Additional Chief
Secretary/ Commissioner of Land
Administration and the Directorate of
Survey and Settlement.

III) A State Level Committee is formed under

the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary/
Commissioner of Land Administration, with
the following members.

(a) Special Secretary, Environment and

Forest Department, Secretariat,
Chennai.
(b) Director of Survey and Settlement,
Chennai.
(c) Joint Commissioner (Cinema and
Irrigation), O/o the Commissioner of
Land Administration, Chennai

This State Level Committee will consider

the recommendations of the District Level
Committee and take appropriate decision.

248 
 
IV) Apart from this, in order to expedite the
remaining settlement work and to review
the encroachments, the Government have
formed a 3 member Committee in
G.O. (D) No.73, Environment and Forest
(FR-14) Department, dated 19.03.2018

The recommendations of the committee

will be considered and appropriate decision will
be taken by the Government.

6.11 Schemes
6.11.1 Natham Settlement
The Government, by publishing a
notification in G.O. (Ms.) No. 1971, Revenue
Department, dated 14.10.1988, have ordered
for the performance of Settlement work in
village Natham sites/house sites and also in the
agricultural lands used for non-agricultural
purposes, in the entire State except for Chennai
old city. Accordingly, this work had been
completed in all the villages.

249 
 
6.11.2 Settlement in Hill Villages:
Subsequent to the completion of hill

survey, the Settlement Work had been ordered

to be commenced in 67 hill villages in the State.

The work has been completed in 61 hill villages

and it is in progress in 6-villages.

6.11.3 Settlement in Corporations and

Municipal Towns

The Government have ordered for the

commencement of Settlement Work in all the

Municipalities and the Corporations of the State

(except Chennai old city) in order to update the

registries in Revenue Records, to issue pattas to

land holders and to prepare and hand over the

land records for the use in Revenue

Administration.

Accordingly, among the 12 Corporations

and 150 Municipalities in the State, the work had

250 
 
been completed in 17 Municipalities. The work

is in progress in 5 Corporations and

66 Municipalities with 78 Special Tahsildar units.

The work in the remaining towns/ Corporations

will be commenced in stages by redeploying

units from those Towns/ Corporations where

work is completed.

Through this Town Settlement scheme

from 2011 to March-2018, so far 11,44,072

pattas have been issued.

6.12 Survey of Wakf Properties

The survey of wakf properties has been

undertaken throughout the State by all the

regular District Revenue Officers who have been

designated as Additional Survey Commissioners

of wakfs for this purpose, within their

jurisdiction/ districts, under the control and

251 
 
supervision of Director of Survey and Settlement

who has been designated as Survey

Commissioner of Wakfs. The work has been

completed in 23 districts so far and the work is

in progress in remaining districts.

R.B.UDHAYAKUMAR
Minister for Revenue and
Disaster Management

252