Blueprint For Green Future: Gujarat's Land Reforms Model Is A Greenprint For Others To Emulate

According to the Land Use Statistics at a Glance report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department (published in July), 65.75% of the land in Gujarat is agricultural land, and the remaning 34.25% falls under "non-agriculture".

Land is crucial for any development projects, and land acquisition has become both a priority and a challenge. The Central government framed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition (LARR) Act, 2013, for land acquisition, and the Gujarat government simplified the process by making official amendments to the LARR Act at the State level.

The major reforms related to land that have significantly impacted the State include:

In Gujarat, non-farmers cannot buy agricultural land

Though there is no national ban on non-farmers buying agricultural land, in Gujarat, non-farmers cannot buy agricultural land. Some relaxations have been given for special agriculture, such as horticulture, dairy, and greenhouse.

Digitalisation initiatives

Gujarat's e-Dhara, an e-Urban land record model, has become a role model for the country. A top official of the Revenue Department said that Gujarat has been making strides in digitalisation, with other States attempting to emulate the model. The revenue services, including document verification, have been made fully online. 

Policies implemented in the Revenue Department

As per a document submitted by the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Revenue Department, a framework is being chalked out for the policy on the allotment of government land for various purposes, the government land consolidation policy, and the policy of allotment of plots at concessional rates to government employees. A specific policy has been formulated for non-farming permission as well.

The implementation of land bank for industries in Gujarat

To allocate adequate land to industries, the State government has created a "land bank" portal. Through the portal, with the help of a land processing and mapping system, users can check the status of any land parcel, its legal status, type, and use. The government has launched the Land Records Management Information System, which provides a complete database of land.

Land mapping

The work of measuring and promulgating agricultural land in 33 districts, under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Program (DILRMP), is nearing completion. According to the Revenue Department, the work of land re-survey and measurement has been completed in several villages. Courtesy of the digital system, farmers can now directly and easily avail bank loans, crop insurance claims, and government assistance schemes, and there has been a reduction in land disputes too.

e-Governance

Due to Jantri (ready reckoners), proper prices of land are being obtained in government and private land acquisition. With non-farming approval being made online, time and cost have been reduced. Gujarat's e-governance model is leading among the top states in the country. Due to the increase in land value, the price of land in rural areas has increased significantly. 

Special committee 

To reduce land disputes owing to legal hurdles, the Gujarat government formed the three-member Land Acquisition Valuation Committee (LAVC) to resolve disputes under the Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act. This committee includes the District Collector, the Deputy Collector (Stamp Duty), and the Town Planner (Class-1). 

Non-farming permission

Under Section 65 of the Land Revenue Code, the procedure for obtaining non-farming permission and a non-farming permit, along with a premium, has been simplified. According to a recent circular issued by Revenue Department Deputy Secretary Bhavin Patel, when an application is received for non-farming of old condition and non-farming premium eligible land that has been converted from agriculture to old condition, then in the case of verification of revenue records only for verification of farmer account holders, the record of the applicant for non-farming will not be taken into consideration for 25 years from the date of application for non-farming.

These major reforms and initiatives have paved the way for the State of Gujarat to lead from the front and devise a blueprint for land acquisition and utilisation for other States to emulate.