Madhya Pradesh sets new standards in Ease of Doing Business with citizen-centric Property Registration Services

By Sanjay Dubey, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Madhya Pradesh India’s 154th rank among 190 countries in the World Bank’s 20191 “Registering Property” parameter reflects the challenges citizens face in property registration. However, Madhya Pradesh has led the way in reform, earning “Achiever” status in the World Bank and DPIIT’s BRAP 20222 rankings. The state implemented over 350 reforms to streamline land administration, tax filing, inspections, and construction permits. Ranking 4th in Ease of Doing Business in 20193, Madhya Pradesh excelled in property registration, business startups, and contract enforcement. Despite these strides, property registration challenges persist, underscoring the need for further reforms.Challenges in Property RegistrationAcross India, property registration is often time-consuming and complex. Accurate property valuation, verifying geographical location, and updating ownership changes require extensive physical checks, leading to a dependency on intermediaries, which increases fraud risks and prolongs timelines. Adding to the complexity, services like water and property tax registration often require citizens to visit additional offices to create property IDs, making property registration a lengthy and exhausting multi-step process. The environment at sub-registrar offices, with limited appointment slots, the need for witnesses, and physical verifications, transforms what should be a straightforward transaction into an exhaustive ordeal.

These challenges are magnified by a network of stakeholder dependencies. In Madhya Pradesh, property registration relies on coordination between the Inspector General of Registrations and Stamps, the Directorate of Urban Administration and Development (UADD), Panchayat and Rural Development (PNRD), Treasury Department, CLR-Web GIS, and other entities. Tasks like property valuation, land record identification, and financial transaction approvals require information across departments.
Sampada 2.0: A Game-Changer in Digital Property RegistrationMadhya Pradesh’s Sampada (Stamps and Management of Property and Documents Application) system represents a major leap in digital property registration. Launched in 2024, Sampada 2.0 enables anytime, anywhere registration of property with minimal human intervention. Citizens can choose among three innovative registration approaches:Office-based Registration, enhancing traditional methods with instant digital delivery.Remote Registration, allowing secure property registration via video conferencing.Faceless Registration, a 24/7/365 service for registration without any direct official interaction.Sampada 2.0 also incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GIS mapping to ensure accurate property identification, fraud detection, and seamless integration of property records.GIS technology allows precise mapping and categorization of properties, ensuring legal and spatial accuracy in land records. This platform enables real-time data sharing with other systems, keeping property ownership information up to date across departments and reducing discrepancies. The platform’s video-based KYC feature provides secure Aadhaar-based identity verification for remote registrations. Once registration is completed, citizens receive their documents digitally via WhatsApp and email instantly.Advanced Integration and Digital InfrastructureA cornerstone of Sampada 2.0’s success is its tight interlinkage with critical databases. The system maintains seamless integration with the Record of Rights (RoR) and property tax register databases of urban local bodies. This integration ensures real-time data synchronization and eliminates the need for multiple department visits. Sampada 2.0 interfaces seamlessly with land records, urban property tax databases, the Registrar of Companies, and GSTN. Payments are processed directly through an integrated cyber treasury, and documents are e-signed, completing a seamless end-to-end digital process. Sampada 2.0 also automatically updates land records to reflect new ownership, reducing delays and errors.The platform’s document management system provides instant access to post-2008 registered documents, while digitization of pre-2008 documents is actively underway. For documents not yet digitized, SAMPADA ensures delivery within three days of online application submission.SAMPADA 2.0 revolutionizes the user experience through its citizen-centric design. The portal enables self-registration, eliminating the need for professional assistance. Its modular workflow includes comprehensive user guides, detailed FAQs, and instructional videos that walk citizens through each step of the registration process. This approach democratizes property registration, making it accessible to all citizens regardless of their technical expertise.Cyber Tehsil: Revolutionizing Land MutationComplementing Sampada 2.0 is Cyber Tehsil, which addresses land mutation—the critical step of updating ownership records post-sale. Cyber Tehsil digitizes this process, making it faceless, paperless, and online, eliminating the need for manual interventions and tehsil office visits. When a sale is registered through Sampada 2.0, mutation cases are automatically initiated in Cyber Tehsil. Both buyer and seller receive SMS notifications with updates and a link to file any objections. Simple mutations are completed within 15-17 days. With just 10 tehsildars managing over 1,000 mutation courts, Cyber Tehsil processed over 2 lakh cases in 2024 alone, setting a benchmark in public service efficiency.A Model for Citizen-Centric Digital GovernanceThese efforts align with the larger vision of enhancing ease of doing business and ease of living in India, positioning Madhya Pradesh as a preferred destination for investments and a model for administrative excellence. Behind this digital transformation is the state’s investment in local talent. The technical team has expanded from 26 to 66 members, creating a strong ecosystem of tech experts, project managers, GIS specialists, and business analysts. This investment in human capital ensures that platforms evolve and improve based on citizen feedback.Moreover, Sampada 2.0’s scalability, sustainability, and replicability make it a model for other states. Its robust architecture, secure data management, and integration with Aadhaar and PAN-based e-signatures provide a blueprint for nationwide adoption. The “ask once” policy, combined with e-signing capabilities and electronic document delivery, creates a seamless digital experience that saves time and resources.This initiative has positioned the heart of India as the brain of the nation’s digital revolution—setting new standards and driving social change through technological leadership.

Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Best Fashion And Style Books

For the people in your life who are passionate about fashion, these fabulous books make perfect Christmas presents. Be entertained by the glamour of a bygone age and the women who made a significant impact, delve into the dazzling imagery of haute couture at a time when a photographers skill lay in his technical abilities with a Leica not a computer screen, and be uplifted by the witty advice of fashion’s Grande Dames who embraced their unique personal style, unafraid to champion individuality and stand out from the crowd. Nothing beats the pleasure of a holding a beautifully crafted book in your hands, flicking through the color infused pages for creative inspiration.

Marilyn Monroe Style

If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Marilyn Monroe think again. Terry Newman is a masterful writer with a forensically investigative style, revealing so much more about Monroe’s role as a fashion influencer than the bombshell sex goddess in shimmering sequins, that became shorthand for her image. In films like The Misfits, she showed us how to look chic in a man’s Lee Storm Rider denim jacket and jeans, off screen she championed designers like Pucci (silk jersey) Ferragamo (classic court shoes) and Chanel (perfume). Analysis of the star as a fashion muse extends seamlessly into luxury modern day collections, with Newman observing key creatives who have paid homage to Monroe’s style, including Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Max Mara and Prada. With hundreds of glossy images, examination of the actress’s sartorial choices reveal them to be as multifaceted as the woman behind them. accartbooks.com £35/$40

Iris Apfel sporting her trademark statement glassesCover Photography © Ruven Afandor

Colourful by Iris Apfel
The ‘accidental icon’ who was known as the World’s Oldest Living Teenager, Iris Apfel imparts her words of fashion wisdom and shares the creative philosophy behind her spectacularly colorful life. Bursting with hundreds of pictures of Apfel from childhood, through to her modelling the turquoise jacquard trouser suit she designed for H&M in 2021, this book chronicles her life, documenting inspirational travels, whilst offering the invaluable advice of a fashion visionary. “Wrinkles are a badge of courage. Why try to hide the years you’ve been lucky enough to live”. abrhamsbooks.com £40/$44.95Campaign for Gucci shot in Cannes, France 2018Picture credit: © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Fashion Faux Parr
A fabulous compendium of global fashion imagery that mixes authentic street style with candid front row pictures at the international runway shows. Martin Parr’s distinct view of the world has earned him many photographic awards and this his first fashion book showcases three decades of work, including inspired editorial spreads for Vogue Espana showing girls in shocking pink flamenco style outfits at the petrol pump, and surreal campaigns featuring the octogenarian sun worshipping citizens of Cannes for Gucci. Parr’s irreverent attitude to his subject, (he claims not to be a fashion photographer) is what makes all of these 300 pages of full colour images, totally compelling to look at. phaidon.com £39.95/$45

Silk chiffon dress by Phoebe Philo for Chloe 2004Cover image © yale university

MOOD OF THE MOMENT Gaby Aghion & Chloe
Choosing the name Chloe simply because she liked the roundness of the letters, the stylish French Egyptian, Gaby Aghion launched her upmarket range of feminine womenswear in 1952, inventing the idea of well-crafted garments in beautiful fabrics at a time before ready to wear existed. With comprehensive texts detailing the history of the brand, starting with the founder’s initial philosophy of using a team of creative stylists (of whom Karl Lagerfeld was the most famous) to bring her vision to life, this beautiful book charts seven decades of Chloe. With stunning photographic images and contributions from many of the celebrated designers who have been associated with the house, Claire Waight Keller, Gabriela Hearst and Phoebe Philo to name just a few, it provides a fascinating view of how the industry itself has changed. yalebooks.yale.edu £50/$65The timeless style of the inimitable CBKCover image ©Bruce Webber/Trunk Archive 2023 Abrams
CBK:Carolyn Bessette Kennedy A Life In Fashion
With an understated style that became synonymous with fashion in the 1990s, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was the poster girl for elegant minimalism. With every public appearance she exuded a cool New York vibe that seemed effortlessly modern, yet somehow attainable. This commemorative book examines the impact she had on fashion, with introductions by Gabriela Hearst and Edward Enninful who provide personal endorsements of her timeless appeal, and original interviews with current creatives who analyse her pared back approach to luxury. Written by Sunita Kumar Nair, with many unseen photographs and numerous personal anecdotes from friends, photographers and fashion aficionados, CBK serves as a reminder that ‘fashion’ is always commerce, real style comes from within and can never be bought. abramsbooks.com £50/$65
Fashion editorial shot in Barbados for British Vogue 1973Image © Norman Parkinson and ABG Images (UK) Ltd
Norman Parkinson Style Photographs for Vogue
Affectionately known as “Parks”, the eccentric English photographer built his career in the 1940s and ‘50s but was still working on location in 1990 when he died. Divided into five chapters from the 1930s through to the 1970s, Parkinson’s work for Vogue magazine captures the great beauties of the day chronicling the changing face of fashion in each era. From the aristocratic charm of Fiona Cambell Walter (later Baroness Thyssen) in the early 1950s, to the waiflike spontaneity of Twiggy in 1967, and later the full-on glamour of the 1980s with Jerry Hall and Iman together in Louis Feraud furs. Text by Terence Pepper details the significant social changes of each decade and provides insight into the leading designers and models of the day. welbeckpublishing.com £40/$44.95
Audrey Hepburn dressed by Hubert de Givenchy in 1966Cover image ©20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
Audrey Hepburn in Paris
Although never a resident of Paris, Hepburn had a long-time love affair with the City of Light, not least because of her astonishingly successful friendship with Hubert de Givenchy for whom she became a glamorous ambassador championing his clothes both on and off set. Compiled by longtime fan Meghan Friedlander with an introduction by Audrey’s son Luca Dotti, this book provides a comprehensive text documenting Hepburn’s first trip to the French capital in 1951 for couture fittings for Monte Carlo Baby, to her final au revoir in 1992. With hundreds of color and black and white photos including many candid family snapshots that have never been seen before (visiting Monet’s gardens in Giverny) as well as many stunning fashion images (modelling Courrèges white felt space helmet) this book captures both sides of the much loved movie star. harpercollins.com £30/$40The Empress of Fashion, Diana VreelandCover illustration ©Luke Edward Hall
Diana Vreeland Bon Mots
The groundbreaking American fashion editor Diana Vreeland was renowned for her sharp wit and perceptive observations on life, ‘Pink is the navy blue of India’ was just one of her famous musings. Her bon mots (French for well-chosen words) have been compiled by her son Alexander Vreeland, from many disparate sources, including notes and journals she created during her long career, letters to friends and content found in the archive files of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Public Library. Vreeland was a visionary who was revered within the industry, and her personality shines through in all these funny, insightful aphorisms. “I mean a new dress doesn’t get you anywhere; it’s the life you’re living in the dress” With charming illustrations by Luke Edward Hall, this book is guaranteed to lift the spirits. rizzoliusa.com £14.90/$14.98

Penn Engineering launches Responsible Innovation Initiative at intersection of tech and ethics

Amy Gutmann Hall will expand Penn Engineering’s research infrastructure, helping facilitate the Responsible Innovation Initiative.
Credit: Kenny Chen

Penn Engineering launched the Responsible Innovation Initiative to operate at the intersection of tech and ethics and manage how future engineers approach technological innovations.

The Penn Engineering announcement of the initiative said that, by placing ethical considerations at the center of engineering education and research, it aims to ensure that technological advancement serves humanity’s best interests. The initiative also coincides with a significant expansion of Penn’s research infrastructure.

School board applauds outgoing business manager Ellen Neyman

BROOKVILLE — Ellen Neyman, who will retire at the end of November as the business manager for the school district, was applauded by the Brookville Area School Board Monday night.Superintendent Erich May recognized Neyman for outstanding service to the school and community. He commented on challenges she faced, seeing them as opportunities “to streamline some practices. Currently under her leadership the team is doing well serving schools and growing in experience.”He listed some of her major accomplishments as business manager, including “mitigating the negative impact of economic conditions that were beyond her control,” such as the Commonwealth having no budget for six months. “Investments were completely liquidated and wherever possible spending was postponed, such that education was not interrupted,” May said. “It’s apparent that her leadership in budgeting and other financial matters was sound.” Following COVID, “we have made the transition to a budget with far fewer federal dollars and done so without the need for a tax increase.”

STAT+: Bluesky is the new destination for X/Twitter’s health and science community. Here’s why

Ten years ago, science was entering its extremely online era. On Twitter, some academics, traditionally siloed in their niche fields, were growing unprecedented public profiles. Neil Hall, a genome scientist in the United Kingdom, responded by creating what he called the “Kardashian index,” a satirical measure comparing a scientist’s publishing record with their following on Twitter. The K-index — and countless lists of scientists to follow — sparked intense debate over scientists’ role in communicating their work (and more) to the public.  Last week Hall, now director of the Earlham Institute, joined many of his scientific colleagues in decamping from Twitter, more recently known as X, for the new social media platform Bluesky. Some have left permanently, deleting all their old tweets, while some are simply setting up an outpost as millions of new users join Bluesky in the wake of the U.S. election. While a decade ago, science and health researchers were preoccupied with new, public-facing roles online, now they’re confronted with a new challenge: How to support scientific conversations and public health messaging when expert voices and institutions are scattered across internet platforms. advertisement

It’s difficult to quantify the scale of the scientific exodus to Bluesky, which was conceived by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and launched in February 2023. This week, overall accounts on Bluesky surpassed 20 million, including the owners of many of X’s top-followed accounts posting on science, medicine, and health policy. Members of those communities describe a slow collapse of engagement on X after billionaire Elon Musk purchased and renamed the company in 2022, mirrored by growing frustration with the platform that surged after Donald Trump won a second presidential term. Since then, Bluesky has emerged as a possible successor to X as a meeting ground for science and health experts, finding a scale of commenting and engagement that has been missing on other alternatives  like Mastodon and Threads.  

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“The Liberator” – A feature film for an Irish hero

For better or worse, I finally did it. Pick your idiom: I put my hat in the ring; took the plunge; stepped up to the plate.
After 30 years in a corporate office, I left my job, ponied up some money, cajoled my family and friends, took all manner of classes, hired talented people, and made a movie about my hero, Daniel O’Connell.
It had to be made. A decade ago, there was brief stir when it was reported that Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis might take up the task. They didn’t.

O’Connell has been lost to time and a scourge of dark history. But he was bigger, and more influential, than Emmet, Tone, or even Collins. Can you imagine, 100 years from now, African Americans having virtually no understanding of Martin Luther King, Jr? That’s where O’Connell has gone.

The seed for my magnus opus was planted in what now seems a vastly different place and time – Cork City in 1985.
Times then and there were tight. Jobs and opportunity were scarce. Unemployment exceeded 17 percent. It felt like 50. Christy Moore’s lament for the Ordinary Man resonated deeply.
Amusements then seem simple in today’s light. In my local, Mick Crowe’s, proprietress Kathleen deftly stacked chips of anthracite on the damp-chasing fire, knit sweaters, and drew your pint in exchange for a carefully stacked pile of Irish coins, all while keeping bad language to a minimum. Observance of holy hour started at 2:30 pm, the doors were locked and shades pulled. Snuff was discreetly enjoyed by smiling matrons.

Sports TV was snooker, watching a white-gloved umpire place a cue ball for players to strike colorful balls across green felt until all disappeared with a clink. Except of course when Barry McGuigan was boxing. Then the entire country paused, held its breath, and watched the match.
I had then arranged to study literature at University College Cork. Aptly, the school labeled my status as an “occasional” student and I delighted in embracing the American interpretation of that word.
My professor, and famed poet, inasmuch as a modern poet can be famed, John Montague, roamed Cork muttering something about dark alleys. My paper for him merited a decent mark and single word of commentary: “Sound.”

In my Irish History class, I found myself unavoidably tasked with an essay, but on a subject of my choosing. Well, this Daniel O’Connell character seemed ubiquitous –  statues, street signs, picture on the Irish 20 pound note. How hard could it be? But what did he do?
Back to my most trusted source, Kathleen.
“Kathleen, this Daniel O’Connell, what did he do?” I asked prior to proffering my note for a jar.
She exhaled a cloud of blue cigarette smoke. “Oh, he was great man, Billy. A great man.”
“So what did he do?”

“Daniel O’Connell, is it?”
“Yes.”
“The Liberator, is it?”
“Yes.”
Another exhalation.
“Oh, he was a great man Billy, a great man.”

So I opened a book and read. And he was a great man. In fact, one historian said the greatest.
A brilliant attorney. A captivating orator. A magnetic personality. A powerhouse of energy. A duelist. Vain. A spendthrift. A staunch abolitionist. A marriage for love over money. A man who built a national identity. A Christian committed to peace and seeing the humanity of all people.
He had his victories – emancipation, representation, rights, jobs.
But he didn’t get everything and second guesses flooded in. Illness struck and he died in the midst of the Famine. Understandably, his decisions, tactics, and personality are controversial. But his influence is undeniable.

How had I never heard of him? How had the Irish people lost track?
His story should be told. And cinematically.
I wrote draft after draft of screenplays. Finally, one seemed good and won some script competitions.
I tried, really tried, every connection I could imagine to connect with the film industry.
Certainly a big movie studio would want to make this film. 
They didn’t.

So I adapted my script to a stage play. With the help of good friends, we put on several successful performances.
A few years later, we made the film ourselves.
The process was intense but rewarding. Months of planning included scouting locations, casting actors, recruiting extras, renting equipment, and finding costumes and props. Next, six weeks of shooting two or three scenes a day with no margin of error for sick time, car trouble, or bad weather. Then, a year of editing, sound mixin,g and musical scoring.
Finally, “The Liberator” was finished and released. A film about Daniel O’Connell can be viewed.
Some like it. Some don’t. Fair enough.

Now, O’Connell’s story is out in film and it’s relevant and important. Where and when is that line crossed to violence to achieve political ends? What faith, hope and sacrifices are required for peace?
I admire Daniel O’Connell for his faith, tenacity, wit, courage and, as historian Wendell Phillips observed, “lofty, generous purpose of his whole life.”
And like my hero, not every goal of mine was accomplished or dream realized. But like my hero, I gave it my all.
You can watch the official trailer for “The Liberator” here:
[embedded content]
You can learn more about “The Liberator” on the film’s website.
This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here.

About Abhishek Bachchan’s film I Want To Talk

Abhishek Bachchan’s I Want To Talk will be released in theaters tomorrow. People are enthusiastic about the upcoming release because the movie’s trailer seems so promising and Abhishek Bachchan is set to appear in a never-seen-before avatar. Shoojit Sircar, who is renowned for bringing a movie like Piku to the world, is the film’s director. Let’s explore the plot, get to know the characters, find out the release date, the OTT platform, and any other relevant details before I Want To Talk releases on the big screens. All you need to know about I Want To TalkI Want To Talk plotI Want To Talk, according to IMDb, is about a man and his daughter navigating their normal lives in India until they receive an unexpected medical diagnosis that changes their course.
Release date and OTT platformI Want To Talk will be released in theaters on November 22, 2024. After its theatrical run, the movie will drop on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video. I Want To Talk trailerI Want To Talk trailer was released by the makers a few days ago and it left people intrigued. Everyone was surprised to see Abhishek Bachchan in an all new avatar.Watch it here:[embedded content]Meet the cast and crewPearle Dey, Ahilya Bamroo, Jayant Kripalani, Kristin Goddard, and Johny Lever all have important roles in I Want To Talk in addition to Abhishek Bachchan. Ritesh Shah wrote the dialogue and the screenplay. Sheel Kumar and Ronnie Lahiri are the producers.The makers put it all as, “When you know life is unpredictable…remember to TALK your heart! Get ready to witness a story of a man who LIVES to talk and gives an entire new meaning to life.”For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.

WhatsApp will Finally Allow You to Unsubscribe from Spam about Business Marketing

WhatsApp Business has expanded to over 200 million monthly users over the past few years. This implies that a large number of businesses are messaging users, some of which may be regarded as spam. Customers had no option but to either disable the business account completely or allow them to send messages and offers. That is finally going to change with WhatsApp.

The company is already testing new methods for customers to tell companies what kinds of messages they would like to receive—or not. This includes buttons for some message types, such as “interested/not interested” and “stop/resume.”

According to Meta, it will start testing interactions all across the world. Users can specify, for example, whether they would like to receive “offers and announcements” or not. Additionally, they have the option to completely stop getting these kinds of messages. In the future, consumers who want to receive offers from a brand throughout the holiday season will be able to resume messages.

WhatsApp’s API allows businesses to send messages based on four categories: marketing (new products, offers), utility (account balance, order updates), authentication (one-time passwords), and service (customer inquiries).

Although the backend has these categories, clients could not previously stop receiving a specific type of message while still receiving others. For example, you might wish to receive authentication codes and purchase updates from an e-commerce site, but you wouldn’t have the ability to manually supply that feedback if you weren’t interested in marketing messages.

Unlike email, many WhatsApp users in countries like Brazil and India rely on their phone numbers as their main means of communication. You can choose to unsubscribe from promotional emails via email, but WhatsApp doesn’t have the same features. As a result, users were inundated with spammy business messages.

The company has been thinking about implementing new guidelines for business messaging. This functionality was alluded to by Nikila Srinivasan, vice president of product management for messaging monetization at Meta, during a discussion held in September on the sidelines of a WhatsApp Business event in India.

“One important thing we do is to give you transparency that you are interacting and engaging with businesses. Two, if you don’t want to interact with them, the strongest signal you can send is to block them and report them. This helps us understand that this is not a business you want on the platform. In addition to that, we are starting to think about how we can give more preferences to users to express more granularity,” she said.

Srinivasan added that spam will eventually be reduced if companies are educated and assisted in understanding how certain of their strategies are not up to platform or user standards.

The company began limiting how many marketing communications messages a person might receive in a day earlier this year, but it didn’t specify the cap.

WhatsApp promoted itself for a long time as a platform for private conversations. The company has added features in recent years to help users create and join communities, broadcast messages as a publisher or creator, and, for businesses, interact directly with consumers. The app has separate sections for broadcast channels and communities.

There is no mechanism to filter business communications, though, and they continue to appear in the main chat inbox. The company stated during its Q3 2024 quarterly call that the WhatsApp Business platform is a major contributor to the $434 million in revenue generated by its family of other apps during the quarter. The company must strike a balance between generating revenue and without offending its core WhatsApp customers by sending them a lot of business messages.

When questioned Srinivasan about this balance and the potential for setting up a separate place for business messages, she noted that a number of the more recent WhatsApp features are optional and separate from the primary inbox.

“The core of what you want to do with WhatsApp is to be in your inbox. When I think about whether we would create a separate experience for businesses, I really love the inspiration that we have for helping businesses. Whatever we are doing in terms of educating businesses and investing in user controls is because we want the standard of what actually belongs in your inbox to feel really high,” she said.