New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh, is the best performing state in in terms of digitising land records, followed by Odisha, according to the NCAER Land Records and Services Index.

Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu are the other states in the top five. The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on Thursday released India's first land records and services index.

From sixth to tenth position, are West Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, respectively.

The index is based on data collected over 2019-20 on two aspects of the supply of land records-the extent of digitisation of land records and the quality of these land records, said an NCAER statement.

"The first component, which aims to assess whether a state has made all its land records digitally available to citizens, looks at three dimensions-the text of the land records (also called the record of rights), the official map associated with a land record (also called cadastral maps), and the property registration process," it said.

The second component of the index assesses if the land records are comprehensive and reliable are -- ownership details updated as soon as a sale occurs, the extent of joint ownership, type of land use, land area on the record and on the map, and whether encumbrances are being recorded, including other claims on the property such as mortgages and court cases.

Shekhar Shah, Director General, NCAER said that the index will help formulate state action plans to attain the goal of secure, assured land records that mirror ground realities and are generated by efficient titling services.