Land Information

Other than receiving digital data directly through field surveys the SD has another programme to collect digital data after digitizing old statutory plans prepared since 1800 as well. The spatial data so collected from different sources have varying accuracy and therefore they are stored separately with their associated non spatial data.

Large number data in LIS are being received through ‘Bimsaviya’ survey programme (Cadastral Surveys) implemented under the Land Title Registration Project where land surveying being executed under the full control of SD. This cadastral attribute data being regularly updated with information like Ownership, Class of Title & Title Certificate Number with the collaboration of Registrar General Department. However, for private lands, the parcel ownership information being censored for secure purposes until the ownership is decided and published through a Gazette notification by the Land Tile Settlement Department.

The details of a land parcel would be appears as it prevails at the time of survey and however, the subsequent surveys in cadastral area will be updated regularly. Therefore, in the case of cadastral area, it can be guaranteed that accurate and latest, information are being hosted. The searching facilities are provided based on the details of plan, location, & District, Divisional Secretariat or Grama Niladari Division levels. Therefore, line departments and the general public can interactively visualize the updated individual land parcel information such as parcel number, extent of land parcel, name of land, land use, land ownership, boundary schedule, old map references etc., for their day to day requirements. And also the facility to convert any plan to .kml format is given as a LIS service for sharing geographic data with non-GIS users as it can be easily delivered on the Internet and viewed in a number of free applications, including Google Earth and ArcGIS Explorer.

Since the LIS Service for cadastral area is given easy access to state guaranteed information, its service is very important for the bankers, real estate mangers, local authorities, notaries, valuers as well as the general public to expedite their day to day transactions at low cost. The limitation to this service can be identified as non-availability of land parcel level information for the entire country. Therefore the full pledge status of the LIS Service can be achieved once the land information of each land parcel of the county being collected.

It is a well-known fact that the LIS of a country is a tool for decision making to support land administration processes of that country. Therefore, at the end, such a system will help for planning and development processes at various line departments and thereby to achieve sustainable development status in economic, social and environmental sectors of that country. Therefore, maintaining a LIS Service is a very important national level requirement for the wellbeing of Sri Lanka.