Land Pooling
Punjab Land Pooling Policy 3.0 Notified: Bigger Plots, Extended Benefits, But No Binding Deadline
On July 6, the Punjab Government formally notified the third revision of its Land Pooling Policy in twelve months. The notification amends a policy first issued in January 2021, revised in November 2025, and now amended again following an in-principle decision taken at a high-level meeting in April — first reported by The Tribune on April 13. The Council of Ministers approved the changes on July 1.
| Residential Plot Entitlement (per acre) | Raised from 1,600 to 1,630 square yards for the residential category |
|---|---|
| Commercial Plot Entitlement (per acre) | Increased from 200 to 210 square yards for mixed use or general category |
| Compensation Awards Declared to Date | Three awards totalling Rs 6,069 crore across 1,231 acres — Rs 3,690.32 crore for 716 acres of Eco City-3, Rs 446.22 crore for 206.39 acres of Aerotropolis Blocks A-D, and Rs 1,932.38 crore for 309.30 acres of the low/high density township |
| Sahuliyat Certificate Validity | Extended from two to four years, reckoned from the date of payment of the award amount or the date of allotment of a plot, whichever applies |
| Oustee Quota (new benefit) | Farmers with up to half an acre receive 200 square yard plots; those with between 0.5 and 2.5 acres get 300 square yard plots; and farmers with more than 2.5 acres receive 500 square yard plots |
| Tubewell Connection Window | Extended to four years, co-terminus with the revised Sahuliyat Certificate, and PSPCL directed to ensure installation immediately and on priority |
| Scope of Acquisition Drive | Seven new townships, seven new sectors, and a tripled Aerotropolis |
| Total Land Under Acquisition | 11,103 acres across Greater Mohali and New Chandigarh to develop seven new townships, seven new sectors, and over 1,240 acres of master plan roads |
| Critical Gap in Notification | The three-year development deadline committed at the April 11 meeting is not reflected in the July 6 notification text. Without a notified, enforceable deadline with defined penalties for slippage, the commitment remains administrative rather than legal |
What Changed in the July 6 Notification
The Punjab Government has notified a significantly enhanced land pooling policy for the Greater Mohali area, offering bigger developed plots, a free conveyance deed, a doubled Sahuliyat Certificate validity of four years and oustee quota residential plots at scheme price to all landowners irrespective of whether they opted for cash or plots.
All plots, including preferential location plots that were previously being retained by GMADA, will be included in the draw of lots to ensure equitable opportunity for all farmers.
Under option 1, no stamp duty or other charges will be levied on the original landowner at the time of registration of conveyance deed of developed plots allotted under the land pooling scheme. Under option 2, the landowner can avail stamp duty exemption on purchase of land anywhere in Punjab, calculated on the basis of the collector rate of the land acquired by the authority.
What It Means for Farmers in Eco City-4 and Related Projects
For every acre surrendered under the scheme, farmers are entitled to either 1,600 square yards of residential land, or a combination of 1,000 square yards of residential land and 200 square yards of commercial land (SCO). The July 6 amendment raises these ceilings and expands non-plot benefits substantially.
The move came immediately after the resolution of a three-week Pucca Morcha farmer protest, with the government having committed to a three-year development timeline and village infrastructure integration as concessions.
Why the Policy Was Rewritten Again
In less than 12 months, the Punjab Government has written, scrapped, rewritten and now significantly amended its Land Pooling Policy — the centrepiece of the most ambitious urban expansion drive in the state's history. Each revision has been driven by farmer resistance, political pressure, judicial intervention, or ground-level implementation failures.
The November 2025 revision made pooling optional, giving farmers the free choice between developed plots and cash. This shift resolved the earlier compulsory acquisition crisis but residual grievances remained.
What Remains Unresolved
The three-year development deadline committed at the April 11 meeting — the first formal, fixed timeline in the history of land pooling in Punjab — is not reflected in the July 6 notification text. Without a notified, enforceable deadline with defined penalties for slippage, the commitment remains administrative rather than legal.
The transparent assessment policy for structures and orchards promised then has not yet been notified. The guava orchard fraud — in which fictitious orchards were fabricated to claim Rs 147 crore in compensation during Aerotropolis Pockets A-D acquisition — has not been addressed by any notification.
Eco City-4 Status (As of July 2026)
GMADA has issued a Section 4(1) notification for Eco City 4, covering 526.03 acres across four villages — Kartarpur, Kansala, Rajgarh, and Boothgarh — in the Kharar tehsil of Mohali district. The Tribune reported the notification on June 5.
Eco City 4 is at the very beginning of its legal acquisition journey. The Section 4(1) notification is the first step, triggering the Social Impact Assessment study. The SIA study, once complete, will include a Social Impact Assessment Report and a Social Impact Management Plan, which will be made available in the local language and uploaded on the department's official website.
What Happens Next
The government committed to completing all development works within three years of award and possession, and to integrating village sewerage, water and road infrastructure with GMADA systems. This commitment was tied to ending farmer protests but, as noted, is not yet in the July 6 notification itself.
Eco City-3 allotments are expected to be announced by end of 2026. Eco City-4 will take longer. With Eco City-4 now entering the pipeline, the state is effectively extending its residential township belt deeper into New Chandigarh, pushing the total land under acquisition or proposed for acquisition in the region beyond 11,600 acres.
Sources
- Tribune Explainer: Punjab's Land Pooling Policy 3.0 — What Changed, What It Means, and What Remains
- Bigger Plots for Mohali Farmers Under Revised Land Pooling Policy — The Tribune
- Coming Up, New Township on 526 Acres in New Chandigarh — The Tribune
- GMADA Launches Eco City 4 — 526 Acres to Be Acquired Across Four Villages in New Chandigarh
- Punjab Cabinet Clears 3rd Version of Land Pooling Policy With Additional Benefits — The Tribune
- Bigger Commercial, Residential Plots for Farmers — The Tribune
- Explainer: Why Punjab Keeps Rewriting Its Land Pooling Policy — The Tribune
- Notification Regarding Eco City-4 Project — GMADA