Blueprint for land development scheme in TN ready

Land owners to be stakeholders; 

to get back 45 pc of developed land

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The state government is planning to come out with a unique land pooling area development scheme to form satellite towns, new ring roads with road grids without resorting to land acquisition, according to sources.

Sources told Express that the blueprint of the scheme is nearly ready. The scheme will involve public participation in infrastructure projects making the landowners a stakeholder in the project.

Under the proposed scheme, it is believed that a minimum area of not less than 100 acres of land would be taken up as project area with public participation. Of the minimum 100 acres, 15 per cent would be reserved for roads 10 per cent for parks and playgrounds, five per cent for public purpose like schools and dispensaries besides 10 per cent for economically weaker sections.

Of the remaining 60 per cent of land, 15 per cent will go to the government and the rest 45 per cent of the developed land will be given back to the landowners. The compensation to the landowners would include giving back proportionate area of land relinquished towards the scheme or cash compensation or Transferable development right or a combination of the three with the total not exceeding 45 per cent of the developed land value.

Interestingly, the scheme also has clauses for mandatory 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections unlike the Gujarat model where it is optional. 

These 10 per cent of land reserved for economically weaker sections (EWS) will be given to Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance board in urban areas free of cost with the landowners compensated with transferable development rights (TDR).

In the rural areas, the authority would sell the plots and sale proceeds will be proportionately transferred to the landowners.

Interestingly, the scheme has clauses where the government would be forced to withdraw the scheme on objection from landowners with majority of land extent.

Benefits of the scheme:

People:

--- Proportionate land will be handed over to landowners

--- Developed land will be fit for immediate development

--- Value of proportionate land allotted finally allotted will be higher or equal to original land relinquished

Govt:

--- Less resistance from landowners

--- Lesser litigation due to landowner participation

--- Infrastructural development in-built in the scheme

--- Cost of infra development generated from the scheme

--- lower cost of implementing the scheme

Box2:

Land area development break-up

(Minimum area shall not be less than 100 acres)

Component         percentage              Area

Roads                      15                      10 acres

Parks and                10                      10 acres

(playground)

Public purpose        5                         5 acres

(schools and dispensaries)

Eco weaker sect      10                      10 acres

Saleable land           15                      15 acres

By authority

Developed land to   45                      45 acres

landowner