Odisha Plans AI-Powered Surveillance System to Make Registration Offices Middlemen-Free

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to introduce an advanced technology-driven surveillance mechanism across registration offices in a major push to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring and eliminate the role of middlemen in public service delivery.

The proposal was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan on Monday. The discussion focused on the implementation of a Smart Surveillance System under the Inspector General of Registration (IGR), including installation of modern CCTV infrastructure, real-time monitoring and long-term maintenance arrangements.

During the meeting, the Minister observed that unauthorised intermediaries often exploit citizens visiting registration offices and create opportunities for corrupt practices. To address this challenge, the government plans to deploy AI-enabled surveillance tools capable of identifying suspicious visitors, monitoring movement patterns and assisting authorities in detecting individuals operating as middlemen.

Officials informed that the proposed system will combine advanced CCTV cameras with Artificial Intelligence-based analytics to strengthen oversight within registration offices. The technology will help authorities monitor activities more effectively and support efforts to ensure that land registration services are delivered directly to citizens without external interference.

Pujari asserted that the State Government is committed to making the registration process completely transparent and citizen-centric. He said corruption and the involvement of middlemen would not be tolerated and that reforms in registration offices would serve as the starting point for broader improvements in revenue administration.

The Minister also announced plans to extend the Smart Surveillance System to other establishments under the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, including Tahasil and Revenue Inspector offices. Besides monitoring public interactions, the system will be used to track attendance, office functioning and field-level activities of officials and staff.

To enhance administrative efficiency, the surveillance infrastructure will include upgraded control room facilities, real-time monitoring capabilities and stronger fire safety alert mechanisms. Regular reviews of the system will be undertaken at the state level under the supervision of the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary of the department.

The meeting further discussed measures to strengthen security arrangements in registration offices. The Minister directed officials to examine the need for additional statutory powers for Registration Officers, including authorising them to function as Executive Magistrates wherever required.

Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Arabinda Padhee, Inspector General of Registration P. Anvesha Reddy, Principal Secretary Prakash Mishra, Additional Secretary Diganta Rautaray and other senior officials attended the review meeting.

The proposed initiative is expected to improve accountability, enhance service delivery and reinforce public confidence in the functioning of registration and revenue offices across Odisha.