Bhubaneswar: Aiming to ensure a transparent land transaction and registration process free from middlemen, the Odisha Government has decided to implement a Smart Surveillance System across registration offices in the state.

A detailed review meeting in this regard was held under the chairmanship of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, where the deployment of advanced CCTV-based surveillance systems was discussed. The Minister stressed the need to strengthen the security infrastructure of registration offices through an integrated monitoring mechanism.

The proposed system will also be supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve its effectiveness in identifying and tracking middlemen operating within and around these offices.

Pujari said the Smart Surveillance System will be gradually extended to all Revenue Department offices, including Tahasil and Revenue Inspector (RI) offices. The system will also help monitor staff attendance, working hours, and movement during field visits.

Periodic monitoring of the system will be carried out at the state headquarters level under the supervision of the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary of the department.

He further directed strengthening security arrangements in registration offices and suggested  Registration Officers be empowered with additional authority, wherever necessary, to function as Executive Magistrates.

Senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary Arabinda Padhee, Inspector General of Registration P. Anvesha Reddy, and other senior departmental officers attended the meeting.