The management of defence lands necessarily warrants proper management and maintenance of the land records which inter-alia include records relating to the Government titles on land, record of acquisition proceedings, maintenance of GLRs & MLRs, revenue survey plans, old-grant deeds, lease documents and other crucial land records which have the ‘Primary and Secondary’ value of evidence of the Government’s title on lands. Therefore, it has become necessary to protect and maintain these rare and invaluable land records also having an archival value.
As part of a multi-pronged approach and as a Disaster Management Strategy, a central facility has been created for preservation and back up and provide accessibility to all user organizations. Hence, an Archival Unit & Resource Center has been constructed, as per approval vide MoD letter No. 56/15/DGDE/Coord/314/SO(L)/D(L)/2011 dated 22.2.2011 at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore through the agency of Delhi Cantonment Board. The new center has been made operational and inaugurated on 15.06.2012.
AURC Role and Functions
The Archival Unit & Resource Center shall perform the following functions:
- Take sufficient steps for disaster management and back-up of all defence land- title related records.
- Keep indexed digital images and microfilm backup of all Defence Land Records.
- Establish and maintain disaster management practices in its premises and all Defence Estates Offices.
- Supervise, manage and control the maintenance and upkeep of Defence land records in all offices under the Director General Defence Estates.
- Accept for deposit of public records pertaining to defence land of permanent nature.
- Establish a conservation laboratory for restoration & preservation of defence land records.
- Preparation of inventories, indices, catalogues and other reference media of land records
- Promote and optimize utilization of available space and maintenance of equipment for preserving land records
- Tender advice to record creating agencies whenever sought.
- Organize training programmes, seminars and interactive sessions for preservation, modernization and protection of defence land records for Services and others.
- Regulate access to defence land records.
- Receive reports on records management from the Defence Estates officers.
- To undertake/facilitate research work. xiv. To tie-up with other archival centers for tracking old land records.
