Cabinet Extends Amnesty Scheme For Government Land Conversion By One Year

Alankar Mishra

Author

Updated: 16-04-2025 at 12:37 PM

On Tuesday, the state’s cabinet greenlit the extension of the amnesty scheme for one more year. This scheme enables holders of government leasehold land to convert their properties into freehold ownership at a greatly reduced premium.

Originally set in March 2019, this scheme has given many leaseholders with agricultural, residential, commercial and even industrial plots of land significant relief.

So far, 12,436 landholders have availed themselves of this scheme and converted their leasehold properties. However, 1,03,397 properties are still under conversion, which includes 4,298 cases in Mumbai and the rest in the Konkan region.

Now, leaseholders will be able to fully capitalise on their land, while also significantly boosting the state government’s revenue at the same time.

Key Features

Feature	Details
Scheme Launched	March 8, 2019
Extended Until	One more year (until 2026)
Purpose	Convert leasehold government land to freehold ownership
Applicable Land Types	Agricultural, residential, commercial, and industrial
Premium Calculation	Based on ready reckoner rates
Pending Conversions	1,03,397 properties still awaiting conversion

Amnesty Scheme In Detail

The Amnesty Scheme was launched in March 2019 to allow leaseholders to change owned government leasehold land into freehold land eligible for purchase at lower rates during the conversion process. It is applicable in the case of agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial properties and gives landowners full ownership of the respective property.

For more leaseholders to benefit from Cloistered Conversions, this scheme has been extended many times. The most recent extension that was approved by the state cabinet gave landholders another year to take advantage of this scheme.

The conversion premium is set from available rates in real estate and is thus fair. While over 1 lakh properties await conversion, the scheme will allow for economically facilitated ownership of land, greater real estate activities, and greater revenue to the state.

Why Is the Amnesty Scheme Important?

The Amnesty Scheme helps leaseholders turn their leased land into full ownership. This benefits both the owners and the government. Here’s why it matters:

Legal Ownership: Allows leaseholders to gain full property rights.
Revenue Generation: The government earns premiums based on land rates.
Land Value Appreciation: Freehold conversion increases land value for owners.
Easier Transactions: Freehold land can be sold, mortgaged, or developed freely.

At present, the government allocates land on a leasehold basis (Class II ownership), which curtails transfer rights. Under this extended scheme, leaseholders would gain full ownership and both the landowners and the government would stand to gain.

Conclusion

As per the amnesty scheme extension, users can settle on these terms for another year when trying to transform government land into freehold property. With more than 1 lakh pending cases, this initiative tackles the conversion backlog, enhances the rights of landowners, and increases the revenue that flows into state coffers.

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