New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS): Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday launched a web portal of Delhi Archives of the Delhi government having centuries-old land records.

"To date, more than 1.60 crore of records have been digitised so far and of which approximately 60 lakh pages of records are uploaded on the web portal for the benefit of general public and research scholars," the government said in a statement.

Calling it an important transparency reform, the government said the web portal of Delhi Archives is a glimpse of the Project of Digitisation and Micro-filming of Archival Records which was initiated by the department in 2017.

Under the project, four crore pages of records are being digitised and microfilmed within a span of 30 months and would be uploaded on the website of the department for access of the public, it said.

"Delhi Archives is a custodian of records of the Delhi government and was established in the year 1972 with a sole aim to preserve the archival heritage of the historic city -- Delhi. The department is having archival records pertaining to the heritage of the city for the period 1803 onwards," the statement said.

The number of uploaded records would gradually increase in due process and four crore pages will be uploaded in stipulated period, the government said.

"The main objective of this project is to facilitate the access of archival and property records of more than 200 years old to the general public and research scholars for search of specific information and records," Sisodia said.

"With the help of this portal, the 'aam aadmi' (common man) can access the government records with a click of mouse."

The Minister said it will curb corruption and give a long life to the records.