DDA’s new ‘Land Pooling Policy’ to make land acquisition easier, faster

The new policy will replace the existing Land Acquisition, Development and Disposal Policy as the Ministry of Urban Development has given the go-ahead. The DDA officials said that the policy will be applicable in the proposed <g data-gr-id="57">urbanisable</g> areas of the extensions for which zonal plans have been approved and if things go well it will be operational within a period of two months. 

The DDA officials further added that under the policy, <g data-gr-id="45">private</g> sector would be responsible for assembling land which would then be made available to the DDA for re-development. 

The department will be responsible for the overall planning and re-development of the land in a time-bound manner. The re-development could range from constructing group-housing societies to providing infrastructure to the farmers.

Talking about the basic concept of the policy, DDA Vice-Chairman Balvinder Kumar said: “There will be two categories for land pooling, ranging from two <g data-gr-id="50">hectare</g> to 20 <g data-gr-id="51">hectare</g> and from 20 <g data-gr-id="52">hectare</g> and above. The land returned to Developer Entity (DE) in the first category will be 48 per cent and land retained by the DDA will be 52 per cent. 

“In the second category, 60 <g data-gr-id="34">per cent</g> will be returned to DE and remaining 40 per cent to the DDA.”

The distribution of land returned to DE in terms of land use in the first category will be 43 per cent as gross residential, two per cent as <g data-gr-id="39">city level</g> public and semi-public facilities and three <g data-gr-id="41">per cent</g> for <g data-gr-id="40">city level</g> commercial <g data-gr-id="32">where as</g> distribution of land returned to DE in next category will be 53 per cent gross residential, two per cent city level public and semi-public facilities and five per cent <g data-gr-id="42">city level</g> commercial, said Kumar.

The DDA also announced the appointment of agencies which can spread awareness about the policy and encourage interested farmers to provide their lands for redevelopment. 

“The farmers should be willing if the policy is explained <g data-gr-id="38">properly,</g> since land lies under-utilised in many areas. Barren lands may be used for better purposes which will only profit the farmers,” the V-C added.