A Jamabandi Data Entry That Does Not Reconcile
A block-level e-governance cell is uploading scanned jamabandi pages for a village to the state land-records portal. The portal checks that the sum of the khasra areas entered equals the total cultivated area shown on the page, which is 38.4 hectares across 14 khasras. The trainee’s first upload shows 36.9 hectares and the portal flags three khasras. The trainee’s log records: khasra 121/2 was typed as 0.8 ha although the scan shows 2.3 ha; khasra 147 was typed as 0.0 ha although the scan shows 1.4 ha; and khasra 134, with an area of 1.4 ha, was entered twice because the trainee thought the page had two similar rows. The crop columns on the same page show wheat 12.0 ha, paddy 9.5 ha, cotton 4.0 ha, fodder 1.5 ha and current fallow 2.0 ha. A farmer whose land includes khasra 121/2 has come to the office saying that his wheat entry is wrong and that he will not accept any change made “by computer”. The Patwari must decide what to correct, who may correct it, and what to tell the farmer.
1. Reconstruct the 1.5-hectare gap using signed corrections, and state the corrected total.
Read the worked answer
Deficit = 38.4 − 36.9 = 1.5 ha.
Signed corrections from the log:
- khasra 121/2: 2.3 − 0.8 = +1.5;
- khasra 147: 1.4 − 0.0 = +1.4;
- duplicate khasra 134: −1.4.
Net = +1.5 + 1.4 − 1.4 = +1.5 ha, so corrected total = 36.9 + 1.5 = 38.4 ha.
The important point is that the duplicate offset one of the short entries. If the Patwari simply added 1.5 ha somewhere to make the totals agree, khasra 147 would still be wrong and khasra 134 would still be duplicated. The total would look correct while two khasras remained false. Reconcile khasra by khasra, not only at the page total.
2. What correction procedure should the Patwari follow, and why is direct editing or deleting the duplicate row unacceptable?
Read the worked answer
The Patwari should:
- preserve the uploaded scan and the trainee’s log as evidence;
- verify the three khasras against the scanned jamabandi, the shajra kishtwar and the khasra map;
- record the correction in the prescribed register with date, reason and initials;
- have the Kanungo verify and the Tahsildar approve the online correction;
- ensure the system retains an audit trail and that the corrected entry is digitally signed;
- issue notice to affected right-holders if the correction changes shares, possession or crop entry.
Direct editing or deleting the duplicate row is unacceptable because it destroys the evidence of what was uploaded, bypasses verification, and may alter rights without notice. The portal record is a legal record, not a draft document. The farmer’s objection should be entered in the grievance register and linked to the correction file, so that the change can be traced and challenged if necessary.
3. The crop columns total 29.0 ha against 38.4 ha. Does that prove the portal is wrong? What should be checked, and what should the farmer be told about khasra 121/2?
Read the worked answer
It does not by itself prove the portal is wrong. The 38.4 ha may include orchards, habitation, paths, canal land or “other” categories that are not in the five crop columns, and the crop columns may cover only cultivated khasras in one season. The gap is 38.4 − 29.0 = 9.4 ha, which must be explained khasra by khasra.
Check whether each of the 14 khasras has exactly one classification for the season, and whether “orchard”, “other” or “non-cultivated” columns exist on the page. Do not force the crop totals to equal 38.4 by adjusting wheat or paddy figures; that would create a new error.
For khasra 121/2, the source shows 2.3 ha but the entry shows 0.8 ha, so both the area and any crop figure attached to it are suspect. Verify the girdawari entry and the field position before changing the wheat area. Tell the farmer: the computer has not decided his rights; the correction will be made from the record, after verification and notice, and he can see the audit trail. If the crop entry is wrong, the girdawari should be corrected through the prescribed procedure, not by an unofficial edit at the counter.