Punjab: Bhagwant Mann govt rolls out land pooling policy for 27 urban centres

Having tasted success with the land pooling policy in Mohali and having faced farmers’ ire for years over the issue of land acquisition, the Punjab Government today rolled out an amended land pooling policy across 27 urban centres in the state.

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The Land Pooling Policy-2025 was approved by the state Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The policy has been brought for developing bigger chunks of land for residential, industrial, institutional and commercial sectors, and integrated industrial parks. The policy has been approved by the Cabinet amid opposition from farmers and other political parties to acquire over 24,000 acres of land in Ludhiana through land pooling.

“The idea behind bringing this policy is to promote sustainable urban development, while benefiting farmers and land owners, who will get plots of much higher value than the cost of the land,” said Punjab New and Renewable Energy Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab president Aman Arora.

The land pooling policy was first introduced in the state during the Akali-BJP regime, with an aim to create a land bank for urban development, mainly for residential development. In this policy, applicable only to Mohali, for one acre of land to be given for land pooling, the farmer/land owner would get a 1,000 sq yard residential plot and a commercial site of 200 sq yards.

In the policy approved by the Cabinet today, the land pooling for residential chunks has been allowed for nine acres and 50 acres as well. While the award for one acre of land pooled for residential purposes and road construction will remain the same as in the previous policy, for nine acres of agricultural land pooled, the farmer will get three acres or 33 per cent of the land back. He can then use it for group housing, where he can make high-rises himself or sell it to a builder. For those giving 50 acres of land, 60 per cent or 30 acres will be used for plotted development.

Similarly, in the case of land pooling for industrial and institutional sectors, 1,600 sq yards of industrial or institutional land will be given in lieu of one acre of land. The land pooling scheme for commercial sectors allows for a 800 sq yard of plot to be given for one acre of land, but in case of the land pooling policy for integrated industrial parks, a 1,000 sq yard industrial plot, 300 sq yard residential plot and 100 sq yard commercial plot will be given for one acre of land.

“Farmers will not be forced to go for land pooling. The policy ensures guaranteed returns and allows for payment of subsistence allowance at the rate of Rs 30,000 per acre per year for three years. Also, the moment he gets the Letter of Intent, it will become tradeable. The government will bear all external development costs, including construction of roads, drainage, power and water supply. It will also thwart the spread of illegal colonies in the state,” said Arora.