Discuss the role of digitization of land records in the effective implementation of land reforms in India.

With 1.27 billion population and just 3.3 approx land area as India is 7th largest country, there is dire need of land reform to cater to the population's needs and fragmentation of land. Land Reforms comprise: - Abolition of zamindari - Land ceiling - Land pooling - Tenancy reforms Failure of land reforms and challenges: 1) India's land holding declining (from 2.2 ha in 1970s to 1.1ha in 2010s) 2) Lack of proper 'patta' i.e. land record rights especially of small and medium farmer 3) Government record-keeping in panchayats poor Role of digitization: 1) Create proper 'LOR' (Record of Rights) of the land holder 2) Identification of actual landholder and delineation of borders 3) Avoid land encroachment and thereby judicial intervention, law and order issues (via most land encroaching cases due to poor record keeping) 4) Digital 'patta' will allow farmers to get 'credit facilities from bank' by putting land on stake 5) Inclusion in various government schemes like PM KISAN, Krishi Sinchay Yojane 6) Allow land pooling, formation of FPOs (Farmer Producer Organization) without loss of property giving safety to farmers via Samyukti Group Maharashtra Challenges: - Digital infrastructure - Completion in panchayats Government's SVAMITVA scheme is step in right direction utilizing drones for creating digital land records.