Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has approved significant amendments to the existing land acquisition policy, introducing a sweeping range of relief measures and enhanced plot entitlements for landowners across the state. The decision, aimed at addressing the long-standing concerns of small farmers and local stakeholders, was finalized during a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Chandigarh. The administrative modifications seek to streamline the compensation process and offer competitive benefits to individuals whose properties are acquired for state developmental projects.
According to a detailed release from the Chief Minister’s Office, the Cabinet focused heavily on restructuring the spatial distribution of residential and commercial entitlements, alongside introducing necessary adjustments to the state’s Oustee Policy. Under the newly approved provisions, landowners who opt for a combined residential and commercial compensation package will maintain their residential allotment of 1,000 square yards per acre, while their commercial allotment has been increased from 200 square yards to 210 square yards per acre. For individuals choosing an exclusively residential package, the entitlement has been raised from 1,600 square yards to 1,630 square yards per acre, while the standalone commercial project entitlement saw a hike from 800 square yards to 840 square yards per acre.
The structural updates to the Oustee Policy establish clear slabs based on the total volume of land acquired by the state. Landowners who lose exactly one acre of property will now be entitled to a 200-square-yard plot, while those with landholdings spanning between one acre and 2.5 acres will receive a 300-square-yard plot. For larger agricultural properties exceeding 2.5 acres, the state will provide a 500-square-yard plot. Additionally, the revised policy introduces a dedicated Letter of Intent provision tailored to protect small-scale farmers and extends the baseline validity of the Sahuliyat Certificate from two years to four years.
To lower the financial friction associated with property transitions, the government has announced complete exemptions on stamp duty and related processing fees for original landowners at the time of plot registration or conveyance deed execution. Alternatively, farmers can choose to apply this stamp duty exemption toward purchasing new land anywhere within Punjab, calculated up to the exact collector rate value of their acquired property. Eligible stakeholders will also be granted a priority tube-well connection and will receive specialized preference when plots are being allotted at prime project locations. Commenting on the reforms, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated that the updates were formulated directly from suggestions gathered during widespread consultation rounds with local agrarian and regional communities.
