The new integrated asset management system hub at the state secretariat. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 3: People owning land in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area would no longer have to run from pillar to post to convert lease-hold land into free-hold land. This task can now be done online.

In the past, the government had allotted land to people on lease. Only by paying due government fees, people could make it free-hold land and to become land owners. However, earlier, they had to approach the general administration department, the local tehsil and the BMC to get the job done.

“The process was cumbersome and used to take years,” said an official.

In order to simplify and expedite the process, the state government today launched the integrated asset management system (IAMS).

Inaugurating the system, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “The web-based integrated system would ensure smooth management of residential land within the BMC area and bring transparency in the process of land management.”

A facilitation centre has been set up in the Estate Court Building near Central Record Room in Unit-V to facilitate the applicants to apply online and get the necessary sanction. The facilitation centres would operate during office hours on all working days.

The system has been developed by the in-house technical team, Centre for Modernising Government Initiatives cell of the general administration department.

Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik said: “The facility would provide expedited services with regard to conversion of lease-hold land to free-hold land. People can have easy online access to necessary data.”

Special secretary of the general administration department U.N. Behera said: “In the first phase, land conversion would be done online through this system. Later on, mutation work would also be done online.”

The government is also planning to allot and change government quarters online. The status of applications can also be traced online. Intimation for deposit of conversion fees could be sent through SMS.

The centre will provide web cameras to take a live photo of the applicant that would appear in the space for photograph in the application form. After filing it, the applicant will get a unique identification number using which he can check the status of his application any time during the centre’s working hours. The applicant can also get the printed copy of the approval letter for deposit of conversion fees from this centre.

“The online process would be time-saving and convenient for elderly people like us,” said Prashant Kumar Das, 65, a retired government official.