An Epoch-making Shift

In today’s digital age, Gangtok district in Sikkim has taken a significant step towards improving land revenue administration through the launch of the Amin Management System (AMS). Introduced in 2024 under the leadership of a young IAS officer Tushar G Nikhare, and implemented by the District Administrative Centre, Gangtok, AMS is a key e-Governance initiative aimed at making land verification processes more transparent, efficient, and accountable. This system replaces the old manual methods with a digital platform, making the work of field staff (Amins) faster and more accurate. AMS is also in line with the Government of India’s Land Data Modernisation Programme and similar initiatives by the Government of Sikkim to strengthen land records and service delivery through technology.

Land verification is a critical component of the revenue and development framework, affecting property ownership, development permissions, and local taxation. In Gangtok, however, the traditional system—entirely offline—was marred by inefficiencies and complaints. Citizens had to physically visit government offices, often repeatedly, to request land verification services. The process was fraught with delays, human interference, and, in some instances, favoritism and corruption.

Numerous grievances from citizens, revenue officers, and other stakeholders brought attention to these issues. The absence of real-time monitoring, manual records susceptible to tampering, and no clear audit trail meant that accountability was hard to enforce. There was a clear need for systemic overhaul—and the solution came in the form of a comprehensive, digital-first platform: the Amin Management System.

The AMS is an end-to-end digital platform designed to transform how land verification is requested, scheduled, conducted, and recorded. Built using modern technologies such as React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL, it offers a seamless interface for citizens, surveyors (Amins), and administrators alike.

The Key Features of AMS include:

✻Online Booking through App/Web Interface: Citizens can now book an appointment with an Amin online, eliminating the need for physical presence at the collectorate.

✻Online Fee Payment: Integrated with secure payment gateways, the platform allows instant and transparent payment of verification charges.

✻Real-Time Geo-tagged Photo Uploads: Amins are required to upload photos during the spot verification process in real time, ensuring transparency.

✻Automated Report Generation: Officials can download verification reports instantly, facilitating faster decision-making.

✻Daily Slot and Visit Reports: Detailed reports of bookings, site visits, and photo uploads are auto-mailed to the District Collector, ADCs, SDMs, and Revenue Officers.

✻Weekly and Monthly Performance Analytics: These reports allow supervisors to track trends, identify bottlenecks, and ensure timely service delivery.

✻Data Repository: All information is stored digitally, creating a valuable archive aligned with India’s broader Land Records Modernisation Program.

The implementation of AMS has been by and large smooth but the team did encounter several technical, cultural, and administrative challenges:

✻Resistance to Change: Transitioning from paper to digital processes required a shift in mindset. Many Amins were initially reluctant to use the app.

✻Digital Literacy: Surveyors and citizens alike needed training to effectively use the app and its features.

✻User Interface Issues: Designing a user-friendly interface that catered to all age groups and education levels was a significant challenge.

✻Real-time Monitoring: Ensuring that Amins filled in their availability slots and adhered to schedules required consistent backend oversight.

✻Customer Service and Grievance Redressal: Establishing responsive help desks and feedback mechanisms was essential to user satisfaction.

To address these issues, the administration adopted a stakeholder-centric approach, including:

✻Focused Group Discussions: Bringing together Amins, citizens, and revenue officials to understand practical challenges.

✻ Pilot Testing and Iteration: Before full-scale deployment, the system was piloted and improved based on user feedback.

✻Workshops and Training Sessions: Conducted to ensure capacity building among surveyors and administrators.

✻Community Outreach: With support from the Information and Public Relations (IPR) Department, awareness campaigns were launched via social media, print, and public meetings to promote adoption.

Political support was garnered by presenting the idea in a manner that it came to be acceptable politically at the highest level. The idea also got support from the former Chief Secretary Shri VB Pathak (Retd. IAS), and the current Chief Secretary Shri R Telang, IAS. They were regularly briefed and extended support at every stage. In fact, the Chief Minister went on to promote the Amin Management System during public interactions. Land Revenue Secretaries were briefed, and the department has already initiated the process to implement the system across the entire State of Sikkim.

Another young IAS officer, GL Meena, SDM-Gangtok, led the implementation of the Amin Management System (AMS), under the overall supervision of Shri Tushar G Nikhare, DC-Gangtok.

The project, executed with a modest budget of Rs. 6.17 lakhs, was carried out by 9 officers from the District Administration Office (Deputy Director, Revenue officers) , 50 revenue surveyors (Amins), 2 implementation support staff (AD/IT) and 4 IT developers.

It was financed through the District Administration’s regular office expenditure. The system design prioritised security, scalability, and real-time tracking, making it sustainable in the long term.

Recognising its potential, the Land Revenue & Disaster Management Department of the Government of Sikkim is now in the process of replicating AMS across all districts of the state.

With the Amin Management System, Gangtok has taken a bold step toward redefining public service delivery in the land revenue domain. As the initiative scales across Sikkim and possibly inspires other states, it affirms the importance of responsive governance, the power of digital transformation, and the role of local leadership in driving impactful change.

The journey of AMS is a testament to what thoughtful innovation, when backed by dedicated leadership and inclusive planning, can achieve in public administration.

What has been achieved on a small scale in a District holds promise from the entire country. The model put in place by this young team can be replicated and scaled in other Districts through public-private partnership in the true spirit of Nexus of Good.

The writer is an author and a former civil servant. Views expressed are personal