Haryana Cabinet approves Land Pooling Policy 2026

Chandigarh: The Haryana Council of Ministers, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, on Tuesday approved the Land Pooling Policy -- 2026, replacing the policy of 2022, to facilitate landowners’ participation in development projects.

As per the new policy, landowners will be offered 50 per cent of the total saleable area of the project as per the approved layout plan, while the remaining will be retained by the development organisation. The earlier provisions linking the landowners’ share to market value have been removed, an official statement said.

Within the landowners’ 50 per cent share, commercial sites will be offered according to the prescribed entitlement. The remaining area will be allotted as residential, industrial or institutional plots, depending on the purpose of the project.

The policy provides annual interim financial support of Rs 1 lakh per acre, proportionate to the land contributed, for four years from the date of registration of the sale deed. If the amount is not transferred within 15 days of the sale deed, the landowner will be entitled to simple interest at nine per cent per annum for the period of delay. The project completion period has been reduced from five years to four years.

The development organisation will be required to complete infrastructure facilities within four years from the date of final approval of the project, failing which the land will revert to the landowners. The minimum sizes of developed plots to be offered to landowners have been fixed at 100 square metres for residential plots, 250 square metres for industrial plots and 500 square metres for institutional plots. The actual area allotted will be determined in proportion to the land contributed.

Commercial plots in the form of kiosks or booths will be allotted, as applicable, where the land contribution exceeds 2,000 square metres. Landowners contributing less than 999 square metres will receive monetary compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013, or at the reserve price of the plot, whichever is higher.

Holders of Land Entitlement Certificates will be able to club their certificates and jointly apply for larger developed plots. The period for buyback of allotted plots by the development organisation has been extended from one year to three years.

The policy also fixes the land aggregator’s remuneration at 0.5 per cent of the collector rate for agricultural land in the revenue estate. This remuneration will be borne by the development agency and paid after completion of the project’s sale deed process.

The Cabinet also approved amendments to the policy for grant and utilisation of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to address issues related to the valuation, transfer and utilisation of its certificates and facilitate the implementation of infrastructure development projects across the state.

Under the amended policy, the formula for calculating the notional land for which a TDR certificate is issued will be revised. The calculation will be based on the weighted average collector rate applicable to the surrendered land as on the date of submission of the application, instead of the existing provision linked to the rate applicable on January 1 of the calendar year of application.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]