G.O.(Ms) No. 362, Creation of a Pool of Licensed Surveyors, 2019

Purpose and scope

Government Order (Ms.) Number 362 of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Survey and Settlement Wing, addresses the shortage of government Field Surveyors by creating an additional pool of trained Licensed Surveyors. Government departments and government undertakings may use them for land acquisition projects and other survey work.

Licensed Surveyors may also be assigned to Taluk offices with many pending Sub-Registrar Transfer of Registry applications and to prepare subdivision records for layouts approved by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning.

Eligibility and training

The Licensed Surveyor programme has the following conditions:

• Applicants must have passed a three year Diploma in Civil Engineering awarded by the Department of Technical Education, Government of Tamil Nadu.
• Selection is based first on overall diploma marks, then marks in the Surveying subject, and then age, with preference to the older applicant.
• The Survey Training Institute at Orathanadu can train 100 people in each batch.
• Training lasts three months. Two months are at the institute, followed by one month of field training in Global Positioning System and Electronic Total Stations in a resurvey scheme.
• The training and licensing fee is Rs.30,000 per person. Trainees must separately meet boarding and lodging expenses.
• The licence is valid for two years. The renewal fee is Rs.1,000.
• Licensed Surveyor status does not provide preference in government employment or guarantee work or remuneration.

Effect on approved layouts and property records

For layouts approved by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning, applications and records may be sent online to the relevant Taluk office. The Deputy Inspector of Survey allocates the work to a Licensed Surveyor, who conducts the field inspection and prepares subdivision records.

The Senior Draftsman and Deputy Inspector of Survey scrutinise those records before sending them to the Tahsildar for approval. After approval, Tamil Nilam and Collabland records are updated. Patta may then be issued for each subdivision in the existing owner's name, allowing later plot sales to be processed through the Not Involve Sub-Divisions procedure in the Online Patta Transfer system.

Work targets and oversight

• Layout work carries a target of 200 plots per month and a service charge of Rs.20,000 per month, reduced proportionately for lower output. Additional subdivisions may earn Rs.40 each.
• Online Sub-Registrar Transfer of Registry work carries a target of 50 applications per month and a service charge of Rs.20,000 per month. Additional disposals may earn Rs.160 each.
• Hiring bodies must remit the applicable Goods and Services Tax.
• Unsatisfactory performance can result in immediate removal. Misconduct can lead to criminal action and cancellation of the licence without prior notice.