Resource information
An information ecosystem is an extremely vast and cluttered space. What data exist? What data is up to date? What data is reliable? Who owns the data? Can I use the data without inflicting harm? Who are the data subjects? Many people across numerous sectors struggle with such questions and more. The land governance sector in India is no different. But somehow, it seems the land data ecosystem in India is more complex and controversial.
In this country with 1.3 billion inhabitants, living across 29 states and 7 union territories, land is an important source of identity, a symbol of social status and foundation for rural power in India, often carrying significant emotional attachment. With a long history, diverse geography and pluralistic culture, land governance has evolved in India through communal, imperial, feudal, colonial and modern systems, gradually moving towards individualization and conclusive titling. Where land is a topic governed by the State governments, forest land is a topic for the federal government. This complicated legal, economic and social structure in which land is governed, is also reflected in the complexity of its land data and information ecosystem.
Lack of equal access to information and a lack of reliable or usable information has been identified to be one of the many challenges we face in achieving our common goal: achieving land governance. This webinar addressed these challenges and the need to build a functioning information ecosystem on land in the country. The webinar, which took place on 20 February, 2020, identified the most urgent challenges ahead, and key areas that may result in progress.
The webinar was co-hosted by the Center for Policy Research (CPR) Land Rights Initiative, the Land Portal Foundation, the NRMC Center for Land Governance, Omidyar Network India and Thomson Reuters Foundation in the context of the 4th India Land and Development Conference (ILDC) 2020.