Section 31 of PLRA : Section 31: Record-Of-Rights And Documents Included Therein

Explanation using Example

Imagine a village named Dhani in Punjab where a new irrigation canal has been constructed. The government needs to update the land records to reflect the changes in land ownership and usage due to this development.

Under Section 31 of The Punjab Land-Revenue Act, 1887, the local revenue officer initiates the creation of a new record-of-rights for the Dhani estate. This record includes:

• A list of individuals who own land, lease it, or are entitled to its produce, such as farmers, landlords, and tenants.
• Details about the size of each person's landholding, the type of rights they have (ownership, tenancy, etc.), and any obligations they must fulfill, such as maintaining irrigation channels.
• Information on the financial aspects, like how much each person must pay in terms of land revenue, local cesses, or receive in terms of government compensation for land acquired for the canal.
• A record of any traditional practices affecting land use, like communal grazing rights on certain fields after the harvest season.
• An updated map showing the new layout of the village lands post-irrigation project, including which parcels of land have been affected by the canal.

This record-of-rights is then used to settle any disputes, collect revenue, and manage the land in accordance with the law and local customs.