Valuation Committee Meeting Minutes held on 23.11.2011

The Tamil Nadu Registration Department, through the Head of the Registration Department, issued Endorsement No. 29310/L1/2009, dated 1 December 2011, recording the Valuation Committee decisions made on 23 November 2011. The decisions guide registration officials on the new market value guideline and on valuation problems affecting land and house sites.

What the minutes govern

The Valuation Committee reviewed preparation of new market value guidelines across the State's 32 revenue districts. District Valuation Sub Committees had approved draft values, considered objections received after the first publication, and were considering objections following the second publication. The minutes directed that all procedures should be completed by 15 December 2011 so the guidelines would be ready for implementation.

The committee also required statements received for each classification to be kept in the relevant files. District officials were asked to check values in areas adjoining national and state highways and identify inconsistencies between street values and survey number values.

Missing entries and corrections

The Valuation Committee approved the following procedures:

• Before implementation, the Valuation Sub Committee may approve corrections involving omitted survey numbers, streets, layouts and typing errors. District committees may decide other guideline inconsistencies.
• After implementation, an omitted subdivision may be placed by the registering officer in the highest applicable classification among the other subdivisions.
• For an omitted survey number, town or street, the District Registrar must inspect the location, select a suitable approved classification and obtain the Deputy Head's approval.
• The same procedure applies where an entry exists but shows a zero value and the land is privately held patta land requiring valuation.
• Downward revisions after implementation must be referred to the Central Valuation Committee.
• A District Registrar may correct a wrongly typed value by using the corresponding value approved by the Valuation Sub Committee.

Land classification and house-site valuation

A Sub Registrar may change an agricultural classification during registration when the document shows a different agricultural category and adequate evidence supports the change.

Where agricultural land in the guideline is presented as a house site or layout, officials must consider surrounding classifications, higher registered values, the village's highest value and enquiry-based value. The highest value is generally to be followed. If it appears unsuitable or the party does not accept it, the District Registrar must inspect the property and seek approval for an appropriate value.

For properties within a village panchayat measuring 10 cents or less, and properties elsewhere measuring 20 cents or less, the registering officer may inspect the site and apply the house-site procedure if it is a house site. If it is agricultural land, the inspection finding must be added to the document.