The Patta Watap Program

Giving Land Tenure to Eligible Slum-Dwellers of Nagpur

Description

The Patta Watap Program: Giving Land Tenure to Eligible Slum-Dwellers of Nagpur

Why land tenure matters

Without secure land rights, families in informal settlements live under the constant threat of eviction. That threat discourages them from investing in safer, more resilient homes. The Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted by nations in 2015, recognises that lack of tenure security undermines the effectiveness of adaptation actions and increases the risk of displacement, which can push communities into even riskier zones. Formally recognised land rights also ensure that informal settlers are included in compensation and disaster recovery.

CFSD’s role

CFSD has been instrumental in bringing about a favourable and implementable policy in Maharashtra that allows slum-dwellers living on government land to obtain land rights, known as “Pattas”. Through the flagship Patta Watap program, CFSD helps eligible families in Nagpur secure them.

What CFSD does

  • Maps slums: We conduct plane table mapping of the city’s slums.
  • Surveys households: We carry out detailed Socio-Economic Surveys of slum-dwellers and collect the documents that prove their eligibility.
  • Works with the Patta Watap Cell: We coordinate closely with the Patta Watap Cell, the single-window system set up at the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, where our maps and surveys are submitted for processing and for executing sale deeds.
  • Works with the Collector’s office: We work with both the Nazul and Mahasul (Revenue) departments, organising camps and encouraging slum-dwellers to take part in the scheme and claim its benefits.
  • Brings everyone together: Coordination between government agencies, slum-dwellers, elected representatives and local leaders is the key focus of the program.

 

Impact

More than 10,000 Pattas have been distributed by the government to eligible slum-dwellers of Nagpur. Each one gives a family tenure security: protection from eviction and a foundation to invest in a safer home.

What we’re working on

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