Gandhinagar: In a move aimed at cutting procedural delays in govt land allotment, the Gujarat govt on Tuesday enhanced the financial approval powers of district collectors and district development officers (DDOs).The state govt said the decision was expected to accelerate allotment of govt land for public infrastructure, industrial, social welfare and rural development projects while simplifying the process for applicants by reducing administrative hurdles.Officials said the revised delegation of powers was part of the state’s efforts to decentralise decision-making and improve ease of doing business. With higher financial limits, collectors and DDOs will be able to approve a larger number of land allotment cases locally, reducing the need for applicants to seek approvals from the state headquarters.Under the revised norms, collectors can now approve allotment of up to two hectares of govt land to state govt boards and corporations for proposals valued up to Rs 1 crore. The earlier limit in such case was Rs 15 lakh. For allotment of up to one hectare of land to central govt departments for public purposes, the approval limit has been raised from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.The financial ceiling for allotment of residential land to govt employees or individuals has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. For cooperative housing societies, the limit has been enhanced from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. The approval limit for commercial land allotment through auction has gone up from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, while that for cooperative warehouses and similar institutions has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.The govt has also expanded the powers of DDOs for allotment of village-site plots. The approval limit for individual housing has been raised from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh, while that for cooperative housing societies has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh.For milk cooperatives, cooperative warehouses and rural grids, the limit has been enhanced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh.In another key reform, collectors have been empowered to extend the deadline for payment of occupancy price or premium in land allotment cases involving state govt boards, corporations and central govt departments. If payment is not made within 90 days of intimation, collectors can now grant an extension up to the validity of the district land valuation committee’s three-year term.
