Maharashtra govt to remove non-agricultural land use requirement for industries

The Maharashtra government has announced plans to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, eliminating the requirement for non-agricultural (NA) permission for the industrial use of land.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule revealed that this change is part of the state`s broader initiative to improve the Ease of Doing Business, a scheme spearheaded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Previously, owners of industrial land had to secure deemed non-agricultural status before using the land for industrial purposes.

However, the government found that the time required for this process was nearly the same as the time needed for a formal NA conversion. This observation led to the decision to remove the NA permission requirement entirely, streamlining the procedure for businesses.

Minister Bawankule expressed that the decision to abolish this bureaucratic step would significantly simplify processes related to land acquisition and utilisation for industries.

“This is a major step towards enhancing the ease with which businesses can acquire and utilise land. The state government remains dedicated to encouraging investment by reducing unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles,” he stated.

The amendment will take some time to come into effect, but until then, businesses will not need to obtain NA permission for industrial land use.

Instead, they will be required to acquire development permission from the relevant planning authority or secure approval for their construction plans. Once approved, the business owners must register the permission with the local revenue officer, also known as `talathi,` who will be responsible for updating the land records.

Additionally, Minister Bawankule mentioned an extension to the deadline for converting Class 2 land (leasehold) to Class 1 land (freehold), providing landowners with an additional year to complete the conversion process.

Class 2 land is typically given under specific conditions, such as rewards, and requires permission from the competent authority for any transfer. In contrast, Class 1 land is freehold, meaning it can be freely transferred without needing approval from any authority.

(With inputs from PTI)