Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
G.O. Ms. No. 869
The Government of Tamil Nadu, in G.O. Ms. No. 869 dated 30 September 1985, extended the Updating Registry Scheme so that remaining registry work could be finished and the scheme could also be taken into 49 taluks already covered by the Intensive Sub-Division Scheme. The order sets deadlines for finishing field work, pattas, scrutiny and fair accounts, sanctions staff for that work, and issues a notification for supplementary survey or resurvey in specified districts.
What the document is about
The Government of Tamil Nadu, in G.O. Ms. No. 869 dated 30 September 1985, deals with the Updating Registry Scheme in revenue villages. It explains that old settlement registers, A Registers, field measurement books and village maps had become outdated, damaged or unusable, and that many later sub-divisions and transfers of registry had not been properly reflected in the records.
Why the Government acted
The text says resettlement had been given up as a policy in 1937. Because no resurvey was conducted after that, the survey framework had broken down in many places. The Government records that the scheme had been useful to agriculturists by bringing land records up to date, and that the Evaluation Committee had recommended introducing Updating Registry in areas where only Intensive Sub-Division work had earlier been done.
What the Government of Tamil Nadu decided
Key decisions in G.O. Ms. No. 869 dated 30 September 1985 are:
- Field work under the Updating Registry Scheme had to be completed on or before 30 September 1985.
- Work relating to preparation of pattas, their distribution, and handing over fair accounts to the Revenue Department had to be completed on or before 31 March 1986.
- The Government sanctioned extension of the Updating Registry Scheme to 49 taluks already covered under the Intensive Sub-Division Scheme.
- The Government sanctioned staff for the residuary work, the extension area, and supervisory offices, as shown in the annexures.
- The period of sanction in the annexures runs from 1 October 1985 to 31 March 1986, or till the necessity ceases, whichever is earlier.
Who it affects
This matters mainly to:
- ryots and agriculturists whose land records were being updated
- landowners and pattadars waiting for pattas or corrected village accounts
- Revenue Department offices receiving the fair accounts
- staff engaged for survey, drafting, field assistance and office work
Districts named for supplementary survey or resurvey
Annexure IV contains a notification under the Tamil Nadu Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923. It orders supplementary survey or resurvey for areas dealt with under the Intensive Sub-Division Scheme in these 13 districts for the Updating Registry Scheme:
- Chengalpattu
- South Arcot
- North Arcot
- Thanjavur
- Tiruchirapalli
- Madurai
- Tirunelveli
- Salem
- Dharmapuri
- Coimbatore
- Ramanathapuram
- Pasumpon Muthuramalingam
- Periyar
Practical takeaway
For a property owner or buyer, the document shows that the Government was trying to complete updated land records, pattas and fair village accounts in both existing Updating Registry areas and certain Intensive Sub-Division areas. If your land was in one of the covered taluks or districts, the document could affect how your patta and village land records were prepared or corrected.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does G.O. Ms. No. 869 only continue old work, or does it also cover new areas?
It does both. The Government of Tamil Nadu continued the remaining Updating Registry work and also sanctioned extension of the scheme to 49 taluks already covered under the Intensive Sub-Division Scheme.
What land record work was still left to finish after field measurement?
The source says the remaining important work was scrutiny, distribution of patta, and preparation of fair accounts, namely the A Register, Field Measurement Books and Chittas.
If my land is in an Intensive Sub-Division area, could this document affect me?
Yes, if it is in one of the covered taluks or in the districts listed in the notification. The document extends the Updating Registry Scheme to 49 taluks already covered by the Intensive Sub-Division Scheme and orders supplementary survey or resurvey in specified districts.
Why did the Government say the Updating Registry Scheme should continue beyond 30 September 1985?
The source gives several reasons. Important record work was still unfinished, the Government wanted to avoid earlier spending becoming infructuous, and it also considered the retrenchment of thousands of employees if the scheme was stopped suddenly.
