Gujarat, too, has joined that race.

With the 11th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) scheduled to be held in January 2027 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat government has introduced a major change in the government land allotment process. A senior official of the Revenue Department said that steps have been taken to address the challenges faced in the implementation of Central and State government projects, besides the difficulties various industrial groups encounter in obtaining approvals.

According to the decision taken by the Revenue Department, the financial powers of District Collectors and District Development Officers (DDOs) have been enhanced to expedite the process of government land allotment.

The decision has been taken by Dr. Jayanti Ravi, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department. 

Reforms In Other States

In Maharashtra, the government has delegated several approval powers relating to government and nazul land to District Collectors and Divisional Commissioners.

Karnataka, under its Land Revenue Act, has vested District Deputy Commissioners with powers relating to various categories of government land allotment and land conversion. Rajasthan's Revenue Department has also empowered District Collectors. Likewise, Andhra Pradesh has delegated several administrative powers concerning government land for public purposes to District Collectors.

Similarly, Telangana has vested District Collectors with several administrative powers relating to government land for public purposes. However, approval of the State government continues to be mandatory in major or sensitive cases.

Tamil Nadu has delegated various powers to Collectors under its Revenue Standing Orders.

Key Revenue Reform

The Revenue Department has also introduced an important procedural reform.

If the occupancy price or premium is not paid within 90 days after the Collector generates the intimation for allotment of land to State Government Boards/Corporations or Central Government departments, the Collector will now have the authority to extend the payment period until the expiry of the three-year tenure of the District Land Valuation Committee.

Land Powers In Other States

Among other states, Karnataka has a long-standing model of decentralised land governance, while Maharashtra's model is closest to Gujarat. Rajasthan, too, has a two-tier system similar to Gujarat. Andhra Pradesh has limited decentralisation, while Telangana has in place partial delegation of powers. Tamil Nadu delegates powers under different revenue rules.

In several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, District Collectors primarily undertake recommendation and preliminary processing. However, approval from the State government or the State Cabinet continues to be mandatory for high-value or policy-sensitive government land allotment cases.