In its bid to encourage land pooling, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has decided not to levy additional charges on farmers seeking preferential locations for sites received as compensation for land pooled for its Aerocity, Eco City-2, IT City and Sectors 88 and 89 projects.
The authority has issued a notification in this regard. The farmers, who had deposited these charges, will get their money back within three months.
Giving details, Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the decision will benefit a large number of farmers, who had opted for the land pooling scheme.
He said earlier, additional charges at the rate of 10% for corner and park-facing plots and 15% in case of two joined plots were levied on land owners, who were mostly farmers.
He said farmers had been demanding a rollback of these charges for long, and the chief minister had now fulfilled the promise made to them during the state elections.
The existing land pooling policy allows awarding housing and commercial sites in lieu of acquisition of farmers’ land, and is applicable for all new townships under the ambit of GMADA.
For instance, in case of acquisition of eight kanals, the land owner has two options: To either choose a 1,000 square yard developed residential site and a 121 square yard developed SCO site or a 500 square yard residential site with a 300 square yard SCO site.
{{/usCountry}}For instance, in case of acquisition of eight kanals, the land owner has two options: To either choose a 1,000 square yard developed residential site and a 121 square yard developed SCO site or a 500 square yard residential site with a 300 square yard SCO site.
{{/usCountry}}Recently, GMADA had decided to offer the land owners a commercial plot of 200 square yards instead of 121 square yards. Final approval is pending with the cabinet.