Delhi L-G approves draft policy for inter-departmental allotment of land

Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has approved a draft uniform policy for inter-departmental allotment of land in the national capital, Raj Niwas officials said on Sunday.

The draft policy assumes significance as there was no uniform guideline to deal with inter-departmental allotment of government land -- leading to delays extending up to years in the execution of critical projects -- even as files keep getting shuffled between departments and agencies, they added.

The draft policy, formulated with the approval of the Lt Governor, will come into force with immediate effect, they said.

"The policy, inter alia, deals with the rates at which land shall be allotted, depending on the nature of allotment. If the allotment is for public utility, it would be free of cost, provided the allotting agency had got the land in question free of cost," an official explained.

"In cases where the allotting agency got the land in question at some cost, ie by way of acquisition, the rate for allotment will be on a no profit-no loss basis (as is the case with allotment of land from the DDA)," he said.

In cases where land is being allotted by the land-owning department to another for commercial purposes, zonal variant rates of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will be charged, he added.

A seven-member committee headed by the Delhi government's additional chief secretary (general administration deputy) formulated the draft policy. The committee held deliberations on the issue based on suggestions and inputs received from various departments, according to the official.

The chief secretary had also convened a meeting on the matter that was attended by officers of departments such as Urban Development, Land and Building, Industries, Finance, Law, Education and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, he said.

The draft policy elaborates the procedure for allotment of land by the land owning agency to any other government body (allottee agency) and specific recommendations in this regard will require the Lt Governor's approval, he added.

The Land and Building department will be the nodal agency for implementation of the policy and the land owning and allottee agencies will have to mutually decide on the nature of allotment.

The draft policy also makes it clear that the Lt Governor's prior approval will be needed for cancellation of allotment, the official said.

A committee chaired by the principal secretary (revenue) and consisting of members from the land requisitioning body, land owning body and the district magistrate concerned will examine the request for allotment vis-à-vis development control norms, utility and opportunity cost of the project, among others.

The committee will have to submit its recommendations through the chief secretary before the Lt Governor for consideration and approval.

The draft policy, as suggested by the Law and Justice department, also has suitable clauses for "keeping a record of transferred/allotment of land in the custody of the administrative department concerned so as to ensure proper record management in perpetuity", the official said.