Odisha to deploy AI-CCTV surveillance in registration offices to curb middlemen
Synopsis
Odisha is putting AI on the desk of every sub-registrar. Cameras will not just record — they will flag repeat 'visitors' with no official purpose, and the state plans to penalise them. If executed, it is one of India's first attempts to use facial analytics to break the middlemen economy inside land registration.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha government will deploy an AI-enabled Smart Surveillance System with CCTV across all registration offices .
Decision firmed up at a review meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday at Lok Seva Bhawan , Bhubaneswar.
AI will identify and track middlemen visiting registration offices without official purpose; offenders will face penalties.
System to be extended to all Revenue Department offices, including Tahasil and Revenue Inspector offices, and will monitor staff attendance and field visits.
Control Room capacity to be upgraded with real-time monitoring; fire safety alerts to be strengthened.
Registration Officers may be granted additional powers to function as Executive Magistrates .
The Odisha government will roll out an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled Smart Surveillance System with advanced CCTV cameras across all registration offices in the state to crack down on middlemen and bring greater transparency to the land registration process. The decision was firmed up at a high-level review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.
Key Developments
The review, held under the Inspector General of Registration (IGR), examined the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the proposed surveillance network. Pujari stressed the need to strengthen the security infrastructure of registration offices through an integrated monitoring mechanism, with AI layered on top of conventional CCTV feeds to identify and track unauthorised visitors.
What the Minister Said
“The possibility of corruption in registration offices largely arises due to the activities of middlemen who frequently visit these offices without any official purpose, unlike officers and staff. To address this issue, a Smart Surveillance System using CCTV cameras will be introduced to identify such middlemen. The system will be further strengthened through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance its effectiveness in identifying and tracking these individuals, who will also face appropriate penalties,” Pujari said at the meeting.
The Minister reiterated that the land transaction and registration process would be kept completely free from middlemen and that corruption would not be tolerated. “Ensuring a transparent, corruption-free and accountable revenue administration remains a top priority of the Government, and efforts will begin with making the registration system free from middlemen,” he added.
Scope of the Rollout
Pujari indicated the Smart Surveillance System will be gradually extended to all Revenue Department offices, including Tahasil and Revenue Inspector (RI) offices. Beyond catching middlemen, the system will monitor attendance and working hours of officers and staff, and facilitate tracking during field visits. Periodic monitoring will be carried out at the State Headquarters level under the supervision of the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department.
Tech Upgrades and Fire Safety
The capacity of the Smart Surveillance System's Control Room will be upgraded, with real-time monitoring and modern technologies adopted to make revenue administration more transparent and citizen-centric. Fire safety measures will also be strengthened through enhanced alert mechanisms. Pujari further directed that security arrangements at all registration offices be reinforced and that Registration Officers be granted additional powers, where necessary, to function as Executive Magistrates.
Why It Matters
Land registration remains one of the most complaint-prone interfaces between citizens and the state government, with middlemen frequently cited as the choke point for graft. This is among the first attempts in Odisha to combine AI-based facial recognition and behaviour analytics with administrative penalties — a model that, if it works, could be templated across other revenue-facing departments. The next test will be on-ground enforcement once the cameras go live.
Point of View
Well-known choke point rather than the entire process. But the hard part is not the camera; it is the penalty regime. Without a clearly notified offence, a defined penalty, and an appellate route, 'identifying middlemen' risks devolving into selective enforcement. Odisha's revenue grievances have historically clustered around mutation and registration; whether AI shifts that needle will depend less on the algorithm and more on whether errant officials — not just touts — are also caught in the same frame.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AI Smart Surveillance System being launched in Odisha?
It is an Artificial Intelligence-enabled CCTV surveillance network that the Odisha government will install across all registration offices to identify and track middlemen and monitor staff. The system will use AI on top of advanced CCTV cameras to flag individuals who frequent these offices without official purpose.
Why is the Odisha government targeting middlemen at registration offices?
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said most corruption at registration offices stems from middlemen who repeatedly visit without any official role. The AI system is intended to identify such individuals, who will face penalties, and to keep land transactions free from external influence.
Will the surveillance extend beyond registration offices?
Yes. The Minister said the Smart Surveillance System will gradually be extended to all Revenue Department offices, including Tahasil and Revenue Inspector offices. It will also monitor staff attendance, working hours, and field visits.
Who will oversee monitoring of the system?
Periodic monitoring will be carried out at the State Headquarters level under the supervision of the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department. The Control Room's capacity is being upgraded for real-time oversight.
What additional powers may Registration Officers get?
Pujari directed that Registration Officers be granted additional powers, where necessary, to function as Executive Magistrates. Security arrangements at all registration offices are also to be strengthened.
