PATNA, Feb. 14 -- In a major relief for lakhs of landowners across Bihar, the revenue and land reforms department will begin allowing direct downloads of old land deeds, registry papers, and related documents through its official website from June this year.

The long-awaited facility, frequently demanded by citizens frustrated with repeated visits to circle offices, will cover records dating back to the 1990s - and, in many cases, even earlier. The move is expected to eliminate the need for physical verification in most instances, significantly easing access to land records across the state.

The move is part of a broader overhaul of land administration pushed aggressively by deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who holds the revenue...