In UP first,incentive for those with commercial activity on land at time of acquisition In a first for Uttar Pradesh,the NOIDA administration has decided to offer developed commercial land at concessional rates to landowners as compensation for acquisition of land on which they ran commercial activity. Until now,the administration gave landowners developed residential land equal to five per cent of the acquired land. Now,half this land will be developed commercial land if there was any commercial activity on it at the time of acquisition. The total land given will not exceed 450 sq m while the minimum will be equal to the size of the smallest plot in the developed area. The changes have been effected through an amendment to the NOIDA Rural Abadi Site (Management and Regularisation for Residential Purpose) Regulations,2006,which was notified by the state government last week. NOIDA officials said that the purpose of the amendment was to remove hiccups in land acquisition by giving a better deal to farmers and residents of rural areas whose land is needed for the growth of the township. This comes in the wake of agitations by farmers over land-related issues in neighbouring areas. There were complaints that the landowners were not just losing their land,but shops,godowns and offices which provided them regular income,that they could not buy land in developed commercial areas because the rates there were too high. This amendment should provide relief to all such individuals and families. They will now get commercial land at cheaper rates in planned areas, an official said. The new benefit comes with the condition that the farmer and his family will withdraw all cases pending in different courts against the authority and removal of encroachment from the NOIDA land,other than the land to be regularised. The notification stated that the benefits of the new policy will also be given to those who ran schools on acquired land. They will get institutional land,equal to the minimum area prescribed for a school of the level that existed on the acquired land. Earlier,residential land in a developed area was given to a landowner at a special rate. Following the amendment,landowners will continue to get residential land at the same rate,but rates for commercial and institutional land will be different,depending on the location. It will be the same rate as in the nearest planned residential area if the land is located on a 12-metre-wide road,1.25 times the residential rate if the land is on a 12 to 18-metre wide road,and 1.5 times the residential rate if the land is located on a 18 to 24-metre wide road. The rate charged will be the same as the prevailing commercial rate if the land is located on a 24 to 45-metre wide road,the notification stated. In case a landowner wants the entire 450 sq m land in a commercial area,he or she will get only half the land at concessional rate and will have to pay the prevailing commercial rate for the remaining half. A similar formula has been laid down for institutional land.
