T’gana govt mulls land pooling for infra works

The Telangana government is considering a land pooling policy to acquire land for infrastructure and development projects, following the Andhra Pradesh model. This move is driven by the state's severe shortage of land, particularly around the Hyderabad capital region, and the ongoing litigation surrounding land acquisition. Under the proposed Andhra Pradesh model, farmers voluntarily surrendering land receive a commercial plot (250-400 sq yards) and residential plot (1,000-1,250 sq yards) along with an annual lease of ₹30,000 for dry lands or ₹50,000 for fertile (wet) lands as an incentive.

The Telangana government aims to enact a comprehensive law, modeled on Andhra Pradesh's 2013 land acquisition act, to streamline the land pooling process and avoid legal disputes. A special committee will be formed to draft the legislation, which could be introduced during the upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly. The policy intends to create uniform guidelines for land pooling across various projects like highways, railways, airports, industrial corridors, industrial parks, townships, and irrigation projects.

Additionally, landowners may receive a portion of their pooled land back as fully developed plots post infrastructure development, making them stakeholders in the projects. This approach could expedite infrastructure development and reduce conflicts over land acquisition.