Q: What is the UPSC significance of "Karnataka’s Revenue Reforms: E‑Pauti Khatas, Darkasthu Podi & Digitisation to Curb Land Litigation (2025‑26)"?

In February 2026, Karnataka’s revenue department launched a multi‑pronged drive to minimise property disputes. By conducting door‑to‑door verification, the department has already issued 12 lakh e‑Pauti khatas and targets all 49 lakh lands with deceased owners. The "Darkasthu Podi – Nanna Bhoomi" initiative, revived in January 2025, has issued 1.93 lakh certificates, a dramatic increase from the previous five‑year total of 8,542. Concurrently, a massive digitisation effort has scanned 67 crore pages of sale deeds, with plans to cover records back to 1857, facilitating easy retrieval of encumbrance certificates. These steps are expected to streamline land‑record management, reduce litigation, and enable farmers to leverage their land for loans and transfers.

Q: Which GS Paper does politics fall under for UPSC?

politics topics are covered under GS2 in the UPSC Prelims and Mains syllabus. Current affairs on politics are regularly tested in UPSC examinations and require understanding of both policy dimensions and current developments.

Q: How is this current affair relevant for UPSC Mains answer writing?

For UPSC Mains, "Karnataka’s Revenue Reforms: E‑Pauti Khatas, Darkasthu Podi & Digitisation to Curb Land Litigation (2025‑26)" can be linked to GS2 questions on politics. Focus on the causes, government response, challenges, and way forward. Use data points and connect it with relevant schemes and constitutional provisions for a high-scoring Mains answer.

Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda announced aggressive steps to curb land litigation: issuing 12 lakh e‑Pauti khatas, accelerating the Darkasthu Podi campaign with 1.93 lakh certificates, and digitising 67 crore pages of historic sale deeds. These reforms aim to secure land titles, improve credit access, and enhance transparency.

Overview On 12 February 2026 , Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at reducing land‑related disputes. The measures include mass issuance of e‑Pauti khatas , the "Darkasthu Podi Abhiyana – Nanna Bhoomi" campaign, and a large‑scale digitisation of historic sale deeds dating back to 1857 . These steps target over 49 lakh deceased‑owner properties and aim to bring transparency to land records across the state. Key Developments Mass issuance of e‑Pauti khatas: Door‑to‑door verification has produced 12 lakh electronic khatas so far, with a target to cover all 49 lakh deceased‑owner lands. "Darkasthu Podi" campaign: Since January 2025, the department issued 1.93 lakh darkasthu podi certificates, a sharp rise from the cumulative 8,542 issued in the previous five years. Digitisation of historic sale deeds: Over 67 crore pages of deeds (from 2004 onward) have been scanned; the plan is to digitise all deeds back to 1857 , facilitating easy access to encumbrance certificates. Important Facts 2.2 lakh families have received house documents in the last 1,000 days since the Congress government assumed power. Revenue villages are being recognised to streamline documentation for residents, enhancing land‑title security. UPSC Relevance This news touches upon several UPSC syllabus areas: GS Paper II (Polity & Governance) – implementation of land‑record reforms, inter‑departmental coordination, and use of technology in administration; GS Paper III (Economy & Development) – impact of secure land titles on credit flow, agricultural investment, and rural livelihoods; GS Paper IV (Ethics) – accountability of officials, citizen‑centric service delivery, and anti‑corruption measures. Potential question angles include the effectiveness of digitisation in reducing disputes, comparison with land‑record reforms in other states, and the role of revenue departments in rural development. Way Forward For sustained impact, Karnataka must ensure continuous updating of the digital database, integrate the system with the RTC for real‑time sketches, and provide capacity‑building for field officers. Monitoring mechanisms, citizen‑feedback portals, and linkage with credit institutions can further translate secure titles into tangible economic benefits for farmers and land‑owners.

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