Haryana Amends Project Land Consolidation Law to Streamline Development

The Haryana Consolidation of Project Land (Special Provisions) Amendment Act, 2024, an amendment Act, was enacted to further modify the Haryana Consolidation of Project Land (Special Provisions) Act, 2017. This legislative action, designated as Haryana Act No. 11 of 2024, received the assent of the Governor of Haryana on March 30, 2024, and was subsequently published for general information in the Haryana Government Gazette on April 22, 2024, thereby coming into force upon its publication. The primary impetus behind this amendment was to enhance the State Government's capacity to consolidate land for significant projects, particularly addressing fragmented landholdings that could impede project viability. The amendment specifically targets situations where the State Government or its designated agency already possesses a substantial portion of the required land.

The core change introduced by the 2024 Amendment Act involves the substitution of Section 3 of the principal Act. This alteration empowers the State Government to consolidate entire project land parcels under specific conditions. The legislation provided: “3. Consolidation of project land.- Where the State Government or any agency owns or has purchased seventy percent or more of the total project land in a particular area falling in one or more revenue estates and the remaining is left out pockets of private land, the State Government may consolidate the total project land to ensure the viability of such project.” This provision clarifies that if the State Government or an agency owns or has acquired seventy percent or more of the total land designated for a project, even if the remaining land consists of scattered private plots (referred to as "left out pockets"), the government can proceed with consolidating the entire project area. This measure is intended to ensure the successful execution and operational feasibility of such projects, which often face delays and complications due to fragmented land ownership. The amendment directly affects landowners within designated project areas where the government or its agencies hold a majority stake, as well as the State Government and its implementing agencies involved in large-scale development projects.

The legislative intent behind the Haryana Consolidation of Project Land (Special Provisions) Amendment Act, 2024, is rooted in the policy rationale of facilitating efficient land aggregation for public and infrastructure projects. The earlier statutory framework, the Haryana Consolidation of Project Land (Special Provisions) Act, 2017, likely presented certain limitations or ambiguities regarding the consolidation of smaller, privately-owned parcels once a significant portion of the project land had already been acquired. This amendment addresses these statutory gaps and issues by providing a clear legal mechanism to consolidate such "left out pockets" of private land. By substituting Section 3, the Act aims to overcome challenges posed by fragmented land ownership, which can lead to project delays, increased costs, and ultimately, the non-viability of crucial development initiatives. The amendment introduces a specific condition—the 70% ownership threshold by the State Government or its agency—to trigger this consolidation power, thereby streamlining the process of land assembly. This ensures that projects, once substantially invested in by the government, are not stalled by a minority of unacquired land parcels. The Act does not introduce new enforcement mechanisms or statutory timelines but rather refines the existing powers under the principal Act to achieve its objectives.

Keywords: Haryana, Land Consolidation, Project Land, Amendment Act, State Government, Land Acquisition, Infrastructure Projects, Legislative Amendment, Haryana Act No. 11 of 2024, Project Viability

Geo Tags: India, Haryana District: Not Applicable