State revises 7/12 extracts

12 types of changes will be implemented to increase transparency and reduce foul play in land transactions

After nearly eight decades, the Maharashtra government will be implementing a new revenue structure in the state, whereby 12 types of changes will be made in 7/12 extracts. Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat has informed that there will be a unique code for each village, a government logo with watermark, and a QR code to be the hallmark on every 7/12 extract, which is maintained by the revenue department to give details with regard to the land.

The state government had issued a notification on September 3 with an aim to stop the original land owner from being cheated and foul play in land-related transactions. “During the British period, it was written by MG Hartnell Anderson. Later, it was revised in 1941 by MJ Desai. After eight decades, the state government has further revised the 7/12 extracts, which will now show the LGD (Local Government Directory) and the local government code along with the name of the village. Apart from this the total area of cultivable and pothole land will also be displayed,’’ said Thorat.

Thorat said these changes have been introduced as, at present, many transcripts do not match their area. “The new changes will bring transparency in land affairs in the state and help in reducing land revenue disputes,’’ he noted.

A Revenue Department officer said that, as per the government notification, the 7/12 extracts will be recorded in the new specimen. “In the revised format, the 7/12 extracts will mention the unit of area in Hectare Are sq m for agricultural land and Are sq m for non-agricultural land. Khata is to be mentioned near the name of the Khata holder and name entries deleted from 7/12 extracts will be mentioned in bracket with a strike through line to indicate erased entry.’’ He informed that mutations pending for certification will be mentioned separately in the pending column.

The officer said these changes are crucial as the 7/12 extracts give information of the survey number of the land, the name of the owner of the land and its cultivator, the area of the land, the type of cultivation (whether irrigated or rain fed) and the crops planted in the last cultivating season.