Digitizing Justice: Telangana’s Online RoFR Titles Granting System Empowers Forest-Dwelling Communities

Digitizing Justice: Telangana’s Online RoFR Titles Granting System Empowers Forest-Dwelling Communities

Problem

Processing a large number of forest rights applications with minimal field staff in TWD.
Embedding maps with latitude and longitude coordinates into RoFR title deeds.
Manual scrutiny of applications and evidence at multiple levels (Gram Sabha, SDLC, DLC) was time-consuming and complex.
Digitizing title deeds, including claimant and forest details, maps, and coordinates, for electronic passbook printing.
Difficulty in extending post-claim benefits due to the absence of digitized claimant data.

Solution

Developed an online application for claim submission via Common Service Centers.
Created a mobile app for Forest Rights Committees to access claimant details, upload evidence, and conduct field surveys.
Enabled automatic capture of latitude, longitude, and area calculation through the mobile app.
Developed a web-based application for multi-level approval processes with monitoring and reporting features.
Integrated the RoFR database with other departmental databases to extend post-claim benefits to title holders.

Outcomes

Issued 1,33,301 RoFR title deeds in two years (2021-2023)
Transferred Rs. 595.74 crores via DBT for agriculture investment support and Rs. 35.45 crores for life insurance benefits.
Digitized RoFR title deeds with enhanced security features, including QR codes and holograms to prevent tampering.
Reduced approval times by eliminating the need for physical records and evidence copies through the IT system.
Captured latitudes and longitudes of land areas under Individual Forest Rights, enabling future mapping.

Project Details

Category: Tribal Development
Project Title: Online RoFR (Recognition of Forest Rights) Titles Granting System
Department or District: Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Telangana
State: Telangana
Start Date of the Project: November 2021
Website: https://ts.meeseva.telangana.gov.in

Tribe(s) that the Project Covers: Scheduled Tribes (STs) such as Gond, Koya, Banjara (also known as Lambada), Kolam, Yerukula, Thoti, and Chenchu, and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs)

Keywords: Forest Rights Act, Tribal Empowerment, Digital Governance

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, represents a watershed moment in India’s legislative history by granting individual and community rights over forest lands to Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers. While the Government of Telangana began distributing RoFR title deeds manually in 2008, the process was laborious, error-prone, and inaccessible to many eligible beneficiaries. Recognizing the critical need to bridge these gaps, the government introduced the Online RoFR Titles Granting System (ORTGS) in November 2021. This system not only digitized the claim and approval processes but also made the entire mechanism transparent, efficient, and scalable.

The Project

The Online RoFR Titles Granting System is an end-to-end digitized platform developed by the Tribal Welfare Department of Telangana. It incorporates a web-based interface for administrative users across three approval levels and a mobile application for field-level data collection by Forest Rights Committees (FRCs). The system simplifies claims submission, integrates geospatial tools for land verification, and generates digitally secured RoFR title deeds embedded with QR codes and holograms. The initiative targets forest-dwelling tribal communities and traditional forest users who were either excluded from or missed the 2008 manual issuance process. By digitizing the workflow and enabling real-time monitoring, the program has rapidly accelerated the pace and coverage of RoFR title issuance.

Problems that it Intends to Solve

The manual RoFR title granting system in place since 2008 faced multiple inefficiencies. Many eligible beneficiaries remained excluded due to a lack of awareness, poor documentation, and limited administrative reach. Field verification was subjective and cumbersome, leading to delays and mistrust. There was no standardized mechanism to capture land area or geographical boundaries. The disbursement of post-claim benefits was also inconsistent due to the absence of an integrated database of titleholders. Collectively, these shortcomings hindered the fulfillment of the FRA’s objectives and perpetuated socio-economic marginalization of forest-dependent communities.

What was the Need

There was a pressing need to revisit the RoFR title process to include those who missed the 2008 window and to ensure the process was in line with the scale and expectations of digital governance. Telangana’s tribal communities were being denied critical land rights due to procedural bottlenecks. A digitized system could ensure transparency, reduce errors, expedite approvals, and build a credible database for delivering follow-up welfare benefits under schemes like Rythu Bandhu and PM-KISAN. The need for a platform that allowed claimants to participate without excessive bureaucratic dependence made this project essential.

What Hindered its Introduction

Several challenges delayed the adoption of a digital model. Integrating forest land survey tools with mobile GPS was a technical and logistical hurdle. Field-level functionaries lacked the digital literacy required to transition from paper records to mobile-based documentation. Inter-departmental coordination—especially with Forest and Revenue departments—required alignment on data standards and sharing protocols. Furthermore, there were concerns over legal validity and citizen trust in digitally issued RoFR titles. Financial constraints and network availability in remote tribal regions also posed serious implementation barriers.

Process Followed for Implementation

Government
- The Tribal Welfare Department spearheaded the project, coordinating with Common Service Centers (CSCs) for citizen interface and the Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) for field-level operations. Three-tiered web-based administrative access was created for claim scrutiny and approval. System integration with the Agriculture Department’s databases was achieved to enable delivery of post-claim benefits.
Involvement of Community
- FRCs were the community touchpoints for the project. These committees were responsible for verifying claims, uploading documentary evidence, conducting field surveys, and using the app to submit claims. Gram Sabhas were central in initiating and validating the process, ensuring that community participation was embedded into the core structure.

Solutions Implemented

The solution comprised a mobile app and desktop portal. The mobile app allowed field functionaries to capture claimant photos, upload multiple forms of evidence, and geotag land parcels using latitude-longitude coordinates. Perambulation methods enabled area calculation and polygon mapping of the claimed land. The web-based dashboard allowed claims to move through village, division, and district-level scrutiny. Security features such as QR codes and holograms in the title deeds ensured authenticity. The system also allowed data synchronization in offline mode to mitigate connectivity issues. The centralized database enabled automatic eligibility for welfare schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, and PM-KISAN.

Details of the Coverage

Between 2021 and 2023, the project successfully issued 1,33,301 RoFR title deeds, surpassing the 97,434 issued manually from 2008 to 2021. The coverage spanned tribal regions across Telangana, significantly enhancing the reach and scale of forest rights delivery.

Innovation and Unique Features

The core innovation lies in making an inherently complex, land rights-based system fully digital without compromising on legal or field-based requirements. The polygon mapping of land using geospatial technology, combined with mobile evidence collection and embedded deed security features, ensures credibility and replicability. Integration with welfare delivery platforms adds another layer of utility, making the system not just a document generation tool, but a gateway to tribal empowerment.

New Approaches: Tech integration, capacity building, culturally sensitive methods
- Technological innovations included GPS-based area capture, real-time polygon rendering, and digital deed printing. Offline data capture features enabled reach into remote regions. Training programs were conducted for FRCs and administrative officers to build digital literacy. Culturally sensitive approaches were embedded through community-level Gram Sabha validation and the use of localized dropdown menus in the mobile application to accommodate regional diversity.
Co-creation: How tribal knowledge or leadership shaped the solution
- The role of Gram Sabhas and Forest Rights Committees ensured that the knowledge of land, community settlements, and lineage-based claims were honored. Traditional forest dwellers played a participatory role in identifying boundaries, verifying claims, and authenticating evidence, aligning the digital system with lived community structures.
Any adaptations: How the project evolved during implementation
- Initially focused only on individual RoFR titles, the project is now exploring its expansion to cover Community Forest Rights (CFR). The government is developing a Forest Rights Atlas by overlaying digital village boundaries, forest shapefiles, and RoFR data to identify additional eligible lands. This evolution illustrates the scalability of the system and its potential role in natural resource governance.

Challenges Faced Before Implementation

Manual systems lacked transparency and were prone to duplication and loss of documentation. Administrative delays were rampant, and approvals took months. There was no reliable mechanism for field verification.
Eligible claimants were unaware of their rights or lacked access to administrative offices. Geographic and infrastructural remoteness of tribal areas made consistent outreach difficult.
These were addressed through digitization of field surveys, public awareness drives, and training programs for village-level committees.

Challenges Faced During Implementation

Initial resistance came from administrative staff unfamiliar with the software. Limited mobile and internet penetration hindered data submission in some areas.
Technical literacy among FRC members varied. Syncing data from offline to server required robust planning.
Offline functionality, frequent updates to the app, and on-ground training camps helped address these challenges.

Outcomes

Between 2021 and 2023, 1,33,301 new RoFR titles were issued. Rs. 595.74 crore was disbursed through DBT to title holders under Rythu Bandhu, and Rs. 35.45 crore was paid to nominees under Rythu Bima insurance scheme. 1.62 lakh titleholders were enrolled in PM-KISAN.
The digitized process restored faith in governance, made the claim process inclusive and transparent, and ensured timely delivery of welfare benefits. Claimants reported increased confidence in institutional mechanisms and greater control over land and resources.
Monitoring was conducted through district and state-level dashboards. Reports could be auto-generated at multiple levels to review performance, approval timelines, and disbursal metrics.
Direct beneficiaries include 1.33 lakh newly registered RoFR titleholders. Indirect beneficiaries include their families, agricultural cooperatives, and village-level governance bodies.

Replicability / Scalability / Sustainability

The system is highly scalable. Its modular design allows replication in other states, especially those with substantial tribal populations. Future upgrades could enable community-level rights and interface with climate-resilient forest governance mechanisms.
The project aligns with the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and complements schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, and PM-KISAN.
Costs are borne by the government, and the digital system reduces long-term administrative expenses. Integration with welfare delivery mechanisms ensures sustained relevance and support.