Indian Town Adopts Avalanche Blockchain for Tamper-Proof Land Records

In a groundbreaking move toward transparency and secure land governance, the district administration of Dantewada, a town in Chhattisgarh, India, has digitized more than 700,000 land records and stored them on the Avalanche blockchain. This step is aimed at ensuring the integrity and accessibility of land records, which have long been plagued by delays and tampering.

On March 6, the Dantewada District Administration, in partnership with the Indian blockchain startup LegitDoc by Zupple Labs, announced that all land records dating back to the 1950s have been successfully digitized and secured on the Avalanche blockchain. This significant development promises to streamline land-related processes and offer a transparent, tamper-proof solution for managing the region's vital land data.

Mayank Chaturvedi, the district collector of Dantewada and an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, emphasized the long-standing challenges faced by the citizens of the region due to delays in accessing land records. He stated, “For decades, our citizens faced significant delays in accessing their land records, with verification sometimes taking weeks. By digitizing these records and securing them on blockchain, we have ensured they are easily accessible and cannot be tampered with.”

As part of the initiative, kiosks have been set up across every sub-district in Dantewada, allowing both citizens and government officers to easily access land information. To safeguard sensitive data, prior authorization is required to access the application, ensuring privacy and security.

Neil Martis, CEO of LegitDoc, explained that the blockchain-based land records application is a permissioned system. "Records can be accessed via Tehsil-level (sub-district) revenue officers, who are responsible for managing land-related matters. These officers can search for land properties, download, and view digitized records securely stored on the blockchain,” he said.

This digitization effort covers various essential government records, including B-1 forms, records of rights, plot registers, ownership documents, and cadastral maps. With these records now stored on the blockchain, officials can verify the smart contracts linked to the digital documents through the Avalanche Explorer, ensuring tamper-proof record keeping.

The application is built on a public blockchain-based explorer, which offers transparency by providing an open overview of on-chain data, smart contracts, and activity related to the land records system in Dantewada.

Avalanche India Growth Consultant, Devika Mittal, expressed pride in supporting such an initiative, stating, “Avalanche is honored to support the Office of Land Records, Dantewada in this revolutionary step, providing trust and transparency at scale to Lakhs (millions) of citizens. Blockchain is the way forward for land record digitization, and Chhattisgarh is at the forefront.”

Beyond the technical aspects, this initiative brings substantial benefits to the region’s tribal communities and farmers. By digitizing land records and securing ownership data, disputes can be reduced, and property ownership is now more easily verified. This advancement is especially significant for communities that have historically faced challenges in accessing and proving ownership of land.

LegitDoc, the startup behind the blockchain solution, has previously contributed to various state-level blockchain initiatives in India, including the issuance and verification of caste certificates, diploma certificates, and skill certificates.

As Chhattisgarh takes this revolutionary step toward digital land governance, it highlights the potential of blockchain technology to transform the way land records are managed, providing long-lasting benefits of transparency, security, and accessibility for all stakeholders.