CM Bhupendra Patel’s Landmark Decisions to Simplify Land Processes and Boost Development in Gujarat

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has made several significant decisions aimed at benefitting farmers, common citizens, and middle-class families in Gujarat. These decisions are set to simplify the state’s revenue processes and ease access to services, thereby accelerating industrialization, business, employment, and affordable housing in the state.

Under the successful citizen-centric governance of the state government led by CM Patel, these reforms are expected to make the “Ease of Doing Business” environment even more user-friendly.

Elaborating on the importance of these decisions, Government Spokesperson and Minister Rishikesh Patel stated that until now, prior approval from the Collector or relevant authorities was required for the sale, conversion, or change of purpose/conditions of newly acquired, indivisible, and restricted land types meant for agricultural purposes. Farmers were also required to pay a premium during such changes.

In a revolutionary move to simplify these procedures, the CM has now ruled that such lands — excluding those under the jurisdiction of municipal corporations, urban development authorities, and the Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, and Junagadh urban development areas — will henceforth be treated as land under “old conditions.”

As a result, farmers will no longer be required to pay premiums when changing land usage from agricultural to non-agricultural purposes. The local revenue officer (Mamlatdar) will now be responsible for suo-motu (on their own) updating the land records to reflect the change in land conditions.

This major reform will significantly ease the administrative burden on farmers and citizens when it comes to land transactions, sales, or conversions. For non-agricultural use, there will be no need to convert land to “old condition” status, further facilitating industrial growth, business activities, job creation, and boosting the state GDP. This move will also enhance the standard of living for small landholders and ensure fair value for land at the time of sale, saving them from frequent visits to government offices.

In line with this vision, the Revenue Department under CM Patel has introduced new provisions for issuing Revenue Title and Legal Possession Certificates to simplify non-agricultural processes. The key highlights include:

• A 30-day timeframe for the District Collector to decide on such applications.
• Upon issuance of the certificate, applicants will be notified within 10 days for any necessary payments related to premium, fines, or conversion.
• Even without a certificate, applications for non-agricultural use will be considered under the existing system.

Another important decision by CM Patel pertains to the verification process for agricultural land sales. Now, only records from the past 25 years will be considered for verifying farmer eligibility or deciding on applications related to premium payments or conversion to non-agricultural use. This change will streamline the application process significantly.

According to Minister Rishikesh Patel, these visionary decisions by CM Bhupendra Patel will fast-track Gujarat’s journey toward becoming a “Developed Gujarat,” aligning with PM Narendra Modi’s vision for a “Developed India @2047.” Gujarat is now moving from “Ease of Doing Business” to “Comfort of Doing Business,” embodying the ideal of “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government.”

Source: Information Department, Government of Gujarat