Govt starts 44 new sub-registrar offices at tehsil level

Bhubaneswar: In a landmark move aimed at decentralising and simplifying property registration, the Odisha govt on Saturday inaugurated 44 new sub-registrar offices at the tehsil level, bringing essential revenue services closer to people.

CM Mohan Charan Majhi launched the initiative via video conferencing on Saturday, marking the first phase of a broader plan to cover all 317 tehsils in the state in the upcoming phases by Dec.The registration services will continue at the sub-registrar office along with the ones at the tehsil levels. Citizens can now book slots online and complete sale deed transactions at their local tehsil offices, eliminating the need to visit district headquarters.

The reform is expected to boost registration activity, improve service delivery in rural areas, and enhance revenue collection. With 217 tehsils already offering registration services, the addition of 44 more brings the state closer to full coverage.“As a people’s govt, our first and foremost duty is to provide services to the public and bring govt offices closer to them. Prioritising public service, our govt has been giving priority to implementing a people-centric vision,” said Majhi, while inaugurating the services.

He said the main aim of this revolutionary step is to ensure complete transparency in administrative work, provide quality services, and increase coordination between administration and people. “By bringing services closer to the public, registration activities will increase, which will result in improvement in revenue collection. Through this reform initiative, the people’s govt is converting its commitment into action,” Majhi said.For years, property registration in Odisha was plagued by procedural bottlenecks and legal tangles. Citizens often had to travel long distances to district-level offices, facing delays and confusion, especially in registering part plots and older apartments. The lack of clarity in rules led to overlapping claims, litigation, and even disciplinary action against officials. A recent crackdown saw two tehsildars suspended and show-cause notices issued to 400 sub-registrars over illegal registrations.

The registration of part plots, common in family settlements and urban expansions, was particularly problematic. Conflicting guidelines between the revenue department and urban development authorities created confusion over registrations.Additionally, apartment registrations were stalled for over two years due to RERA-related disputes, only resuming partially in 2024. Though a notification was issued in Feb this year to clear the way, things came to square one again due to litigation issues. To address these issues, the govt introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for part plot registrations and launched an e-registration mobile app. Officials said that the steps together will bring transformative changes in registration services.