For decades, access to land records was one of rural India’s most persistent governance failures. Karnataka’s Bhoomi project, now completing 25 years, offers an instructive counterpoint showing how administrative reform can reshape the relationship between governance and the people. The establishment of 204 Bhoomi Kendras at the taluk level enabled the digitisation of nearly 2.5 crore land records covering about 3.5 crore farmers. By ensuring accurate and up-to-date records, Bhoomi has helped convert entitlement on paper into benefits on the ground. As Karnataka reflects on Bhoomi at 25, the project offers lessons for other States rushing to digitise land records.

Source: The Hindu January 12, 2026 19:46 UTC