The Ministry of Rural Development, through the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR), is conducting a month-long NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) pilot program in Margao, Cuncolim, and Panaji, Goa. This GIS-based urban land parcel mapping initiative operates under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) and aims to create accurate digital maps for urban and peri-urban areas across multiple states and Union Territories.
The program specifically addresses several public concerns: it will not alter existing land records or titles, does not threaten the rights of absentee landowners or Non-Resident Goans, is not a land acquisition scheme, and is not conducted for tax collection purposes. The sole objective is to create reliable digital land maps to support town planning, infrastructure management, and public utility layouts.
The formal inquiry process runs from July 16, 2026, to August 14, 2026, following the ground-truthing phase where electronic mapping data is verified against field conditions. Property owners are required to appear before the Inspector at the Office of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) in Margao's Osia Commercial Arcade, SGPDA Market, carrying their property title documents for verification. The workflow includes multiple verification stages with formally notified public verification windows designed to protect the interests of absent owners.