Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, in coordination with the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR), Goa, has issued a clarification dispelling rumours surrounding the National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) pilot project.
The authorities have assured citizens that the GIS-based survey will not alter existing property ownership, land boundaries or official land records. They stressed that the exercise is intended only to digitally map urban land parcels and has no impact on legally recognised titles.
NAKSHA is being implemented under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) to create accurate GIS-based maps that will support urban planning, improve land administration and facilitate better public infrastructure planning.
The government also clarified that non-resident property owners, including those living outside Goa or abroad, have nothing to worry about. Officials said that a property owner’s absence during the survey process does not affect ownership rights or create any opportunity for another person to claim the property.
According to the department, the project includes multiple stages of verification and public inspection before records are finalised, ensuring that all legitimate landowners receive adequate legal protection.
Authorities further emphasised that NAKSHA is purely a land-mapping exercise and should not be confused with land acquisition. The survey does not authorise the government to acquire private property, nor is it intended to increase property taxes.
The exercise records the existing physical status of land parcels and does not settle ownership disputes or boundary conflicts. Any such disputes will continue to be decided through the appropriate legal and administrative authorities.
Following the completion of the field survey, the inquiry stage will be conducted from July 16 to August 14, 2026. During this period, property owners are required to visit the Office of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) at Osia Commercial Arcade, SGPDA Market, Margao, and produce documents relating to their property.
The department clarified that citizens are not expected to possess technical surveying knowledge, as officials will assist them throughout the verification process.
Authorities have appealed to the public not to believe rumours or misinformation regarding the project and to rely only on official communications while actively participating in the ongoing verification exercise.
