Patna: The Bihar government is preparing a new land acquisition policy that would fundamentally change how compensation is calculated for landowners whose property is acquired for public projects.
Under the proposed policy, compensation will be determined by taking into account both the revenue village (mauza) and the distance factor, with the aim of ensuring that all landowners within the same mauza receive a uniform compensation rate.
The Revenue and Land Reforms Department is expected to issue a formal notification once the proposal is approved.
Government Seeks To End Compensation Disputes
At present, compensation is largely determined by a property’s distance from roads or urban centres.
Officials say the system has frequently resulted in neighbouring landowners within the same mauza receiving different compensation amounts, triggering protests, administrative delays and legal disputes.
The proposed policy seeks to address those concerns by introducing a uniform compensation rate for land within the same revenue village, while continuing to consider location-based factors.
According to officials, the move is intended to make the acquisition process more transparent and reduce dissatisfaction among landowners.
Litigation And Protests Prompt Review
The proposal has been prepared by the Land Acquisition Directorate under the Revenue and Land Reforms Department.
Officials believe the revised framework could reduce the number of disputes that currently arise during land acquisition, many of which end up before revenue authorities or courts.
The department expects the changes to speed up project implementation by minimising compensation-related objections.
More Than 45,000 Acres Under Acquisition
The policy review comes as Bihar undertakes one of its largest land acquisition drives in recent years.
According to the department, acquisition proceedings are underway for more than 45,000 acres of land across the state, involving an estimated expenditure of Rs 30,000 crore.
A substantial portion of the acquisition is being carried out for projects under the Industries Department across 24 districts.
Land is also being acquired for a range of public infrastructure projects, including national and state highways, railway projects, airports, embankments, civil courts, hospitals, educational institutions and other government initiatives.
Balancing Development And Landowners’ Concerns
The proposed policy reflects the government’s attempt to balance the need for faster infrastructure development with longstanding concerns over compensation.
If implemented, the revised framework would replace the existing practice of varying compensation rates within the same mauza with a more uniform approach, a change the government hopes will reduce litigation, improve public acceptance of land acquisition and accelerate the completion of major development projects.
