Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Revenue Department has amended the provisions governing leasehold (bhadapatta) government land in the city survey areas of Ahmedabad, Surat, and Bharuch. The move aims to streamline the process of lease renewal and permanent ownership transfer for both short- and long-term leaseholders.

Under the revised policy, leaseholders of government wasteland allotted on short- or long-term leases in city survey areas will now be eligible to acquire permanent ownership rights upon paying a discounted amount determined by the government.

This initiative seeks to regularize such land parcels before the revised jantri (government land rates) comes into effect. Under the scheme, leasehold land allotted for more than seven years can be converted into permanent ownership by paying up to 60% of the jantri value.

The resolution includes key provisions for leasehold lands within city survey limits, even in cases where authorized or unauthorized transfers have taken place. Regardless of whether the lease term has expired, legal occupants seeking permanent rights will be granted ownership under the previous conditions.

Moreover, those who have not paid rent or only partially paid it may still obtain ownership rights by paying 5% higher rent. The government has also deferred the collection of stamp duty based on jantri rates as part of this regularization process. Applicants belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC) will receive a 20% concession on the payable amount.

To avail of the scheme’s benefits, applications must be submitted within two years, starting from April 21, 2025. For land parcels valued up to ₹1 crore as per jantri, the district collector will have the authority to approve ownership rights. Cases involving higher valuations will be decided at the state government level. Once this resolution is published, leasehold land that is not regularized within the stipulated period cannot be sold or transferred. DeshGujarat