Bihar launches aerial land survey

Bihar Wednesday launched a survey using aerial photography for updating land records, officials said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar flagged off the aerial land survey from Suryagarha in Lakhisarai district.

"The aerial survey will be conducted in 33 of the 37 districts," said Hukum Singh Meena, revenue and land reforms secretary.

In the remaining four districts -- Banka, Nawada, Jamui and Bettiah, the survey will be carried out through field visits as dense forests had rendered aerial survey unfeasible, he said.

The government has hired three private firms - IIC Technologies Ltd, IL&FS and GIS Consortium India Private Ltd - for conducting the aerial land survey over the next three years at a cost of Rs.579 crore.

Land records in Bihar were last updated between 1888 and 1915, an official said.

The aerial technology allows taking photograph of 100 square km land in an hour, depending on weather conditions, he said.

Bihar's total area, as per land revenue department records, is 93,358.8 square km.