Senior Correspondent.TOD
The Government of West Bengal has announced that citizens will now be able to obtain digitally signed copies of Khatians (Records of Rights) and plot information online free of charge, following amendments to the Bengal Records Manual, 1943.According to a notification dated July 2, 2026, issued by the Department of Land & Land Reforms and Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation, the amendments have been made under Section 57 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955.
Under the revised provisions, applicants seeking digitally signed copies of Khatians or individual Records of Rights available in the state's digitized land records database will no longer be required to pay any application or authentication fees, irrespective of the number of pages involved. Applications must be submitted online, and the digitally signed documents will be issued free of charge.
The notification also extends the fee waiver to digitally signed soft copies of plot information available through the state's digitized land records database.According to the notification, the amendments are aimed at improving public access to land-related services, reducing the financial burden on citizens, promoting transparency, and facilitating hassle-free electronic delivery of land-related information.
The government has clarified that the exemption applies only to digitally signed electronic documents. Existing charges for certified hard copies and other documents issued under the relevant rules will continue to apply.The notification, issued with the concurrence of the Finance Department, takes immediate effect. It has been signed by Surendra Gupta, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, Department of Land & Land Reforms and Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation, and Land Reforms Commissioner, West Bengal.
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