Pune: Maharashtra State Government Revises Land Area Standards, Easing Property Transactions For Farmers
Pune, 10th August 2023: The Maharashtra state government has enacted modifications to the standard area measurements for lands, enabling the registration of 20 gunthas of jirayati field and 10 gunthas of irrigated field. This significant alteration comes as part of a recent notification issued by the state government, aiming to streamline property transactions and empower farmers in districts with smaller standard area designations.
Joint Secretary of Revenue and Forest Department, Sanjay Bankar, has officially issued the notification, which takes into account section 5 and subsection 3 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act 1947. These provisions address the fragmentation and unification of land. In alignment with these legal considerations, the revised notification allows for the registration of 20 gunthas of jirayati field and 10 gunthas of irrigated field.
By amending previous notifications, the state government has effectively addressed the concept of “gunthewari,” facilitating smoother property transactions. The matter has been presented before the Supreme Court and is currently under judicial review. The original rationale behind anti-fragmentation legislation was to mitigate reduced production capacity and increased expenditure associated with smaller land plots.
Consequently, the Act initially applied to land portions of 40 gunthas for jirayati fields and 20 gunthas for irrigated fields, effectively preventing their registration.
However, the altered standards, influenced by technological advancements and the growing number of family members, have prompted a reduction in the standard area measurements. The resultant change now paves the way for farmers in districts like Pune, Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur – regions characterized by irrigated fields and diminished standard areas – to register their 20 gunthas of jirayati and 10 gunthas of irrigated land.
This adjustment has been particularly impactful in areas outside municipal corporations and councils, where jirayati and irrigated field area designations have been harmonized. This synchronization permits the purchase and sale of 20 gunthas of jirayati and 10 gunthas of irrigated land, a development that greatly benefits farmers and landowners alike.
State Director of Information Technology, Sarita Narke, stated, “The state government’s notification has standardized the land fragmentation process, offering significant relief to farmers. It’s important to note that this decision is exclusive to rural areas and does not extend to regions governed by municipal corporations and councils.”
The revised standards have ushered in a new era of land transaction simplicity, providing a boon to the agricultural community and fostering more efficient land ownership procedures.
