The Directorate of Land Records and Surveys

About the Directorate

The Directorate of Land and records and Survey is the head of the Department under the Revenue Department. The Directorate is manned by the Director borne from the I.A.S/M.C.S. Cadre and the functions are as under:-

Conduct of Surveys for preparation of preliminary records as embodied in the Meghalaya Land Survey and Records Preparation Act, 1980 and the Rules framed thereunder, demarcation of District and Sub-division boundaries, Inter-State boundary and International boundary(Indo-Bangladesh) and preparing / printing of State and District Maps etc., The Principal Secretary to the Govt. of Meghalaya, Revenue & Disaster Management Department who is also designated as the Special Director of Land Records and Surveys is directly incharge for maintenance of the Inter-State and Inter-National Boundary.

The Directorate also carries out the digitization of maps / compilation of works of the completed land acquisition cases for updating of Land Revenue Records and Computerization of the same. The Directorate controls the following District offices & they are:-

1. Survey Wing attached with Director of Land Records & Surveys Shillong
2. Revenue Branch of Six Districts and one Sub-division.
3. The Meghalaya Survey School, West Garo Hills, Tura.
   

Survey Wing

The Survey Wing comprises of 4(four) Sections (a) General and Controlling Section(b) Traverse Section (c) Drawing Section(d) Reproduction Section. The functions of the General and Controlling Section is of administrative nature with the remaining three Sections being purely technical in nature.

At present the duties and functions of the Survey Wing are as indicated below: -

1. Cadastral Survey:- The field Staff including the Khalasis have been placed at the disposal of the Autonomous District Councils, with effect from 2nd April, 1991 to carry out the Survey Operations in the State.
2. Survey and demarcation of the Inter-State Boundary:- The Survey and demarcation of the Inter-State boundary with Assam is also the responsibility of this Wing. Normally, the task is of routine in nature in view of the fact that there are certain portions of the boundary where there is a difference of opinion with the Government of Assam, this operation could not make much headway.
3. Responsibility for maintenance of the Indo-Bangladesh Boundary:- The responsibility for maintenance of the Inter-National Boundary (Indo-Bangladesh-Meghalaya Sector) is the sole responsibility of this Wing. The restoration of missing/damaged boundary pillars is taken up during every field season commencing normally from middle of November to the last week of May. During the field season, reconstruction/ repair of missing/ damaged boundary pillars is done by both sides (Meghalaya and Bangladesh) and the sectors to be taken up by each is decided during the Indo-Bangladesh Boundary Conference. The printing of boundary strip maps is also carried out by this Wing.
4. Training for the Meghalaya Civil Services (M.C.S) and Meghalaya Police Service (M.P.S) Officers and also for the District and Land Records Staff:- The Training in the Survey and Settlement for the M.C.S./M.P.S. Officers and the training for the District Land Records Staff for the use of Metric System is also imparted by this Wing.
5. Survey and demarcation of Sub-Divisional Complex is being carried out in the State. Further, Govt. lands have also been surveyed in Shillong and a similar exercise is being carried out in Tura.
6. Metric Cell Scheme: - This Cell is adopted with a view to introduce Metric Units of measurements and conversion of F.P.S system into Metric System.

Revenue Branch

The Revenue Branch in each District and Sub-Division is under the control of the respective Deputy Commissioners and Sub-divisional Officers (Civil) who are the Principal Revenue Officers and Collectors of the respective Districts and Sub-divisions. They are assisted by the Revenue Officers drawn from the Meghalaya Civil Service.

Meghalaya Survey School Tura

The Meghalaya Survey School, Tura was established in 1974 with its headquarters in Tura, West Garo Hills District. The School was set up with a view to imparting six months duration in Recorders Course of Training. The School is under the direct supervision of the Additional Deputy commissioner, Tura, usually drawn from State Civil Service who also acts as the Principal, Meghalaya Survey School, Tura. Till date 40 Batches have been given training in Recorders’ Course, since the year of its inception.