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Uttarakhand clears stringent law restricting sale of agricultural land
The Uttarakhand state assembly passed stringent amendments to its land laws on Friday, effectively banning the sale of agricultural and horticultural land to outsiders across most of the state
The Uttarakhand state assembly passed stringent amendments to its land laws on Friday, effectively banning the sale of agricultural and horticultural land to outsiders across most of the state in a move aimed at protecting local interests.
“A strict land law was absolutely necessary to protect the cultural heritage of Devbhoomi, seeking a balance between environment and economy and protecting the rights of the common people,” chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said after the bill’s passage.
The new legislation, formally titled ‘Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950) (Amendment) Act, 2025’, permits non-residents to purchase only 250 square metres of residential land, with strict one-purchase-per-family restrictions.
“People from other states will be able to buy 250 square meters of land for residential use, but other members of the same family will not get permission to purchase land,” Dhami explained, adding that buyers must submit affidavits.
Congress MLAs led by leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya demanded that the new land bill be referred to select a committee of the House for. However, after chief minister’s assurance that all concerns and issues related to the new land law will be addressed, the land law was passed in the House.
The amendments mark a significant shift from the 2018 policy that allowed unrestricted land purchases by outsiders. Only two districts - Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar - are exempt from the new restrictions, though sales there will require state government approval rather than district-level authorisation.
The state’s approach to land sales has shifted dramatically over two decades. Under chief minister ND Tiwari in 2003, outsiders were permitted to purchase up to 500 square metres, which was later reduced to 250 square metres during B.C. Khanduri’s administration in 2007. The most significant change came under Trivendra Singh Rawat’s government in 2018, which allowed unlimited land purchases by outsiders, including agricultural land in hilly areas for industrial development, with district magistrates holding discretionary approval powers.
The legislation establishes a monitoring portal for tracking outside purchases and mandates regular reporting by District Magistrates to the State Revenue Council. “If the provisions of the new land law are violated, the land will be vested with the government,” Dhami warned.
In December 2021, the state formed a five-member committee to examine existing land laws, which submitted 23 recommendations in September 2022. A subsequent drafting committee, headed by then-additional chief secretary Radha Raturi, was established in December 2023 to examine these recommendations in detail.
