The Indian state has been digitalising land records across the country for many years now, and more aggressively since 2016 as part of the Digital India Initiative. There is growing evidence, however, that rather than empowering vulnerable communities, digital governance has often had the effect of dispossessing them of their rights – seen most clearly in  the context of Aadhaar and KYC-related withholding of welfare benefits and MGNREGA wages - and it seems to be happening again with land records digitalisation. Ground reports from Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand by Sushmita, an independent journalist, indicate that digitalisation of land records has aided the dispossession of Dalit and Adivasi farmers by local elites operating in cahoots with corrupt officials. 

We speak with Sushmita on the impact of land digitisation on vulnerable communities.

Guest: Sushmita, Independent journalist

Host: G. Sampath

Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Camera: Jude Weston

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