The Department of Land Resources, under the Ministry of Rural Development, has issued a clarification regarding the NAKSHA pilot project in Goa, specifically addressing concerns about property boundaries and land titles. The initiative is part of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) and represents a citizen-friendly digital governance program focused on urban mapping in Margao, Cuncolim, and Panaji city.
The NAKSHA project utilizes modern GIS and drone-based mapping technology to bring pinpoint accuracy to urban mapping. A key feature is the ground-truthing process, where electronic maps are physically verified against actual field conditions to ensure land boundaries match official records perfectly. This approach is designed to eliminate boundary confusion and drastically reduce the likelihood of future disputes, providing long-term security to local landowners.
The program includes built-in public verification cycles specifically designed to protect absent owners, ensuring that physical absence during the survey does not impact legal ownership. The Department confirms that original land records remain fully protected throughout the process.
A formal inquiry process is scheduled from July 16 to August 14, 2026, at the Office of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) located in the Osia Commercial Arcade, SGPDA Market, Margao. This period allows community members to bring their title documents for accurate digital mapping with assistance from survey officials, requiring no technical knowledge from participants.
The project aims to enable local municipal bodies to plan improved public utilities and infrastructure while bringing transparency and security to Goa's urban spaces for future generations.