Uttar Pradesh govt planning to introduce QR code-based verification for property ownership, Minister Ravindra Jaiswal

The reforms are part of the state’s ambitious Vision 2047 plan, with some of the initiatives expected to roll out by March 2026, said Jaiswal, MoS (Independent Charge) for Stamp and Court Fee, Registration, in an interview with PTI.

Jaiswal highlighted that the digitisation of land records is progressing swiftly, with QR codes being developed to help homebuyers verify property ownership and transaction history.

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“Soon, anyone planning to buy property can scan a QR code to know its ownership details, past transactions, and whether the seller is legally entitled to sell the entire area being offered. This will protect buyers from fraud,” Jaiswal said, adding that historical ownership data will be available online within six months.

According to Jaiswal, it takes 35-40 days after registration for the homebuyers’ names to appear in the revenue records. However, revenue officials will be posted at registration offices to verify records before a transaction is finalised.

The homebuyer’s name will be updated immediately after registration, giving them instant ownership rights,” Jaiswal told PTI.

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Jaiswal, a BJP MLA from Varanasi, said another major initiative aims to encourage property owners to formalise tenancy agreements by reducing high stamp duty charges.

“Many landlords hesitate to rent out their homes due to legal complexities and fear of tenants overstaying. The current stamp duty of four per cent makes registration expensive, leading people to opt for unregistered agreements, which hold no legal value. We are planning to introduce a fixed charge of ₹500 to ₹1,000 for registering tenancy agreements so that both landlords and tenants can secure their rights,” Jaiswal said.

Simplify family property settlements

According to Jaiswal, they are also working to simplify family property settlements.

“Often, family disputes drag on in courts for years. We plan to allow settlements for up to four generations at a fixed charge of ₹5,000, ensuring clarity and reducing litigation,” Jaiswal said.

“In 2017-18, around 16 lakh property registrations were done annually. That number has now risen to around 50 lakh,” Jaiswal said.

To handle the increased workload, the state government plans to modernise registration offices like Passport Seva Kendras with air-conditioned halls, furniture, help desks, and token systems for appointments.

Jaiswal also said the department will soon launch “ATMs” for commonly used stamp papers of ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, and ₹100 denominations, which see annual sales of nearly ₹800 crore.

“Instead of visiting registration offices, citizens will be able to withdraw stamp papers conveniently from these ATMs, similar to cash withdrawals from bank ATMs,” he said.

1% rebate in stamp duty for women homebuyers

The UP government had recently announced a stamp duty rebate for women buyers, allowing a 1% reduction for properties valued up to ₹1 crore.

“This step is part of efforts to promote women’s financial independence. If a property worth ₹1 crore is registered in a woman’s name, she saves ₹1 lakh immediately,” Jaiswal said.

Speaking about the department’s revenue strategy, the minister said the focus is on making transactions easy rather than increasing tax burdens.

Don’t believe in raising circle rates to generate revenue

According to Jaiswal, they don’t believe in raising circle rates just to generate revenue. “Instead, as people become more prosperous, they will invest in homes, vehicles, and other assets, boosting state revenue naturally,” Jaiswal said.

Jaiswal also acknowledged challenges in simplifying the registration process.

“There are currently 42 types of parameters for stamp duty calculations, which create confusion. We want to simplify them to around 18-20, so people know the rules for residential, commercial, or agricultural land clearly. Fraud often occurs due to these complexities,” he said.

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Jaiswal said that verification of land use will also be expedited.

“We aim to complete verification within three months of purchase so that tax and land-use rules are enforced without unnecessary delays,” Jaiswal added.