presentation tries to explain the role and importance of land in general and in promoting rational development of urban centres in particular besides options for sourcing land for urban purposes. Options suggested can be leveraged by all states and countries being generic in nature, In addition presentation tries to emphasize the need of rationalizing the planning tools so as to minimize the use of land in urban areas.

1. Jit Kumar Gupta
Former Advisor( Town Planning), Punjab,
jit.kumar1944@gmail.com

2. Land- Introduction
Character, Role,
Importance,
availability

3. Land- Introduction
 Land--finite resource, most vital, critical,
valuable, unique gift of nature to mankind
 Land- creator/ sustainer- of vast range of flora/
fauna/ vegetation / eco-system
 Land- platform for human support system
 Land-- recognized, basic human necessity for
human livability/ productivity.
 Land -- supports entire super structure of human
settlements
 Land--Under which infrastructures find place
 Land-- a scarce commodity
 Land– occupies 20% of global area- 80% water.
 Land – as a resource in India-- under major stress-
2.48% area supporting 16.7% -- global population

4.  Famous American humorist / writer, Mark Twain said:
 ‘Buy land, they’re not making it any more.’
 Quote holds great meaning in India,
 particularly for agrarian state of Punjab--
 -- where farming-- is a way of life
 - Providing sustenance to 63% of state population.
 For large rural families, land represents:
 -- a fundamental asset:
 -- Primary source of income,
 -- security and status.
 -- Major cause of crime / dispute
 --state suffering from acute shortage of land with
1.56% area supporting 2.29 % of country
population(2011).
 Land availability in Punjab/person—1877 sqm(2011 ) ,
estimated to be--1574 sqm (2021), 1361 sqm( 2031)

5.  Besides agriculture, land required for:
 Housing
 Trade & Commerce
 Industry
 Education/ health care/
recreation/religious
 Open spaces
 Transportation Network-Roads/streets
 Infrastructures/ utilities/service network--
water/drainage/sanitation etc
 Competing claims require-- land used in
most careful manne
 with growing population-- land resource
needs optimum utilization

7. Land-Issues

8.  Success of urban development– depends on availability
of adequate serviced land
 Urban centres --unable to increase supply of serviced
land
 Mismatch between demand and supply of serviced
land
 land cost-- irrational, excessive /unaffordable.
 --Inadequate land --greatest roadblock in planned/
rational urbanization.
 --Cities growth-- largely unplanned, haphazard /
irrational
 - Irrational Urban development –due to operational
inefficiency of urban land market
 -- out-pricing of urban poor from land market
 --failure to supply right quantum of serviced land/ at
right place/at right time/ at right price/ to right
people- leading to slums


9.  Monopoly of Parastatal Agencies;- limited resources, restricted
supply of land, emergence of parallel land market, high land prices,
inefficient land market,
 Limited Role of Private Sector; inefficient land market, limited
role in land market, high land prices, unclear titles, poor land record,
long drawn litigations, needs re-definition
 Restricting Development Controls; Restrictions imposed by
Master Plans, Development Plans, Development controls and building
by-laws -- greatest hindrance in sourcing land --, need rationalization
 Irrational Legal Framework; Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act,
2013– made land acquisition difficult, expensive, cumbersome
 Restricted Supply of Land; limited release of land parcels,
auction, reserve price fixation, irrational targeting of poor beneficiaries
 Absence of Urban Land Record in public domain;-absence of
proper land record, correct area, ownership status, encumbrances ,
mortgage status-- land needs digitisation, record put in public domain

10. Land-State of
Punjab

11.  1st March, 2011-population of Punjab --2,77,04,236
 1,73,16,800 resided in 12,729 villages
 1,03,87,436 in 217 urban centres
 Level of Urbanization--37.49% (India- 31.1%.)
 Punjab- 1.53% of geographical area -- housing 2.29%
population
 During last 110 years( 1901-2011)
 -State population increased merely by 3.7 times (7.5 to
27.7 million),
 Urban population multiplied more than 11.5 times (0.9 to
10.38 million),
 Rural population grew only by 2.6 times
 (6.61 to 17.32 million).
 Level of Urbanization grew- 3 times ( 12% to 37.49%)
 No of settlements increased from– 1.4 times (157 to217).
 In 1901- every 8th person was an urbanite,
 in 2011 every 3rd person made cities their home

12.  Projected Population — 2021-320 lakh & 2031-- 370 lakh
 Projected urbanization -- 42% in 2021 and 48% in 2031,
 Urban population -- 135 lakh in 2021 and 178 lakh in 2031
 32 lakh added -- 2011-21 & 43 lakh --- 2021-31
 annual addition to urban population-- 3.2 lakh during 2011-21 ;
 -- 4.3 lakh/year-- 2021-31
 Assuming gross urban density/ acre -- 100
 Assuming -50% increase absorbed in existing urban area
 -- Additional land required would be;
 -- 15,500 acres (6200 hectares) for -- 2021
 -- 21,000 acres (8400 hectares) for -- 2031.
 State to prepare a roadmap to ensure availability of land for--
 -- rationalizing urban development
 --making provision of shelter
 --Traffic and Transportation
 - Open spaces
 -- infrastructure
 -- ensuring quality of life-- both existing / future residents.

13. Options for
Sourcing Land
for Urban
Developent in
Punjab

14.  Basic Approach-For planned development of cities/ towns;
 Taking a holistic / multi-pronged approach
 Making optimum use of existing urban land
 Sourcing minimum land for urban development
 Making land market efficient / sensitive to demand
 Ensuring adequate supply of serviced land
 Rationalizing land prices;
 Minimising land speculation.
 Making provision of basic amenities/services/ /infrastructure --- on
defined norms / standards.
 Rationalizing land related policies
 Ending monopoly of prastatal agencies- in land assembly/
development
 Sourcing land -- joint activity of public sector/private sector /
cooperative sector
 Protecting lower income groups.
 Promoting optimum utilization of public / private urban land
 Diverting vacant land into urban market.
 Creating automated/ cadastral land titling system-
 Creating a supportive /enabling policy and legal framework

15.  Options for sourcing land in urban Punjab to include;
 Compulsory Acquisition of land
 Purchasing land by Negotiation from landowners
 Bartering Raw land with Developed Land/Land
Exchange
 Land Pooling and Land Distribution
 Granting License to private Colonies
 Optimum Utilisation of existing urban Land
 -- Using Vacant Government Land
 --- Recycling derelict land .
 Transfer of Development Rights
 Accommodation Reservation
 Redefining Floor Area Ratio/Height
 Promoting flatted development against plotted
development
 Redefining the planning tools/planning process
 Using Land 24X7

16.  Compulsory Acquisition of land- Least preferred
mode—under-Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Act, 2013
 --difficult and time consuming process
 -- expensive -- compensation at higher rate
 --involving rehabilitation and
 -- resettlement of land owners.
 -- lack of resources with parastatal agencies
 -- liabilities incurred on perpetual basis
 -- hurts interest of land owners,
 -- opposed by landowners
 -- long drawn litigation between landowners/Acquiring
agencies

17.  Purchasing land by Negotiation from landowners-
Involving Private Sector—
 - Land sourced by developers from landowner
 --at a negotiated price.
 -- used for planning /developing colonies-Residential--
plotted/flatted-- commercial, industrial
 - under Punjab Apartment and Property Regulations Act, 1995
 -- Considerable amount of land brought under development
 -- Development of colonies impacted by prevailing high land
prices/ lack of land related data
 -Colonies mostly localized in/around large urban centres
 -Has not made land market efficient
 --Large un-serviced peri-urban/rural lands put to urban use-
 - Need to confine to urban limits only

18. Regenerating Private land;
 - Large chunks of corporate /private lands locked
in inefficient uses-
 -closed industries/offices/Institutions
 --land to be brought into urban market for
meeting land requirement for
 --shelter, infrastructure, institutions, trade &
commerce, creating open spaces
 -- State to incentivize such development by--
 --granting permission for change of landuse
 -- granting approvals on time bound basis
 -- Promoting joint ventures for stressed land
parcels

19. Optimum Utilization of Vacant Government
Lands( OUVGL);
 State/central/ULGs/ parastatal agencies-
 - biggest landholders of most valuable land parcels in
urban areas--Chennai --30 %,Ahmadabad-32%
 Punjab Govt launched OUVGL scheme-- for bringing
government land in urban market
 Scheme made not much headway due to -
 -Reluctance by departments to part with land
 Scheme – to be made more effective /efficient
 Vesting Land Ownership with state government
 - creating inventory for such lands
 Carrying out detailed analysis of available land
 Carrying out development on time bound basis.

20. .
Taxing Vacant Urban Land;
•Land Speculation-- gaining enormous currency.
• Land remains locked / unused
• Few cities of Punjab–
•-- have > 25-30% of urban land lying unused.
• - Even agriculture practiced within urban limits
• Available Urban land-- brought into market
•--Permitting sale of individual floors on plotted
development
•-- imposing extension fee/taxes on vacant
plots.
•-- to bring more land into urban uses.
•-- make optimum use of urban land

21.  Land Pooling and Plot Reconstitution Schemes;
 -- Best option for sourcing land for urban purposes
 -- aptly called, ‘Urban development without Tears
 --universal application for sourcing land
 -- distinct advantage over land acquisition
-- more equitable; efficient/sustainable self-financin
 makes land for infrastructure available without cost;
 treats landowner- partners in urban development
 eliminates cumbersome process of land acquisition.
 -- landowner retaining majority of land
 -- getting much higher returns
 - scheme generates resources for urban local body
 -- enables planned urban expansion.
 -- works best in medium/metro areas

22.  Land Pooling and Plot Reconstitution Schemes;
 Pre- Requisite for successful implementation of
scheme--
 -- supported by state/ ulb/ public/
private/stakeholders;
 -- creating proper and supportive legal framework with
 -- rules, regulations/guidelines to ensure fairness
 -- designating agency at local level --with powers
/authority to for coordination/ assistance from deptt;
 creating efficient/accurate system of land
registration
 -Having skilled/ dedicated professionals/negotiators
 availability of objective/ well-trained land valuers;
 framing scheme on time bound basis;
 Creating adequate checks/ balances for transparency
in scheme formulation / valuation.

23.  Rationalising Building Bye-Laws/Dev. Controls;
 Urban land Utilization hindered by building bye-
laws/ development controls,
 - creating Restrictions on use/development land
 For improving utility of land—
 --maximum plot sizes restricted ;
 -- land use patterns clearly defined
 -promoting mixed land use/flatted development
 - Rationalising floor area ratio, ground coverage,
setbacks- to make cities compact
 -Promoting vertical expansion,
 -- Redefining Building by-laws /development
controls- .

24. Land pooling
Punjab;

25.  Land pooling Punjab;
 For making land owners in urban development -- state notified
land pooling scheme-- alternative to compulsory acquisition
 Instead paying compensation in cash-- landowner given
developed residential / commercial plots -depending on land
surrendered
 For agricultural land/ acre-- farmer given-- residential plot of 1000
Sqyds and commercial plot of SCO of 18feet x 40 feet.
 Looking at intent/content - misnomer to call it land pooling
 Barter system-- where raw land exchanged for developed land
 Scheme popular in large cities--where prevailing land prices high
 farmer hopes to get higher value of land
 Success of scheme contingent to credibility of authority
 -- time frame in which plots allotted / place where allotted.
 Success of scheme depends upon having ready developed land ,
acceptable to landowners.

26. Amravati
Land Pooling
Scheme;

27.  Amravati Land Pooling Scheme;
 -- Amravati-new capital city of AP,
 -- planned for3.5 mllion population ,
 -- spread over217 sqkm
 -- built through innovative Land Pooling Scheme,
 --without resorting to compulsory land acquisition
 --Enacted ,AP Capital Region Development Act 2014’
 -- making provision of Land Pooling Scheme.
 - a voluntary land procurement mechanism
 Landowners direct beneficiaries/partners in development
 land assembled under irrevocable voluntary consents
 -- into planned parcels--developed /partly returned to
owners.
 Compensation -- land quality /quantity/ cropping pattern

28.  Amravati Land Pooling Scheme; Double-cropped land—
 1,000 syd of residential land & 200 syd of commercial land / acre
of pooled
 Annuity (paid monthly) starting at Rs 30,000 per year
 -- rising by Rs 3,000 annually for 10 years
-- Triple-cropped land
 --1,000 syd of residential land & 450 sydof commercial land/ acre
pooled
 --annuity starting at Rs 50,000 per year,
 -- rising by Rs 5,000 annually for a decade.
 --After 10 years-- city to be fully developed
 -- all farmers to become city landlords, workers/ businessmen.
 Government to utilize its share of Amravati land
 to develop world-class infrastructure/amenities - capital complex.
 scheme involves--- reconstitute land, develop infrastructure/
handing possession of developed land to owners within 2.5 years

29. Delhi
Development
Authority- Land
Pooling Scheme;

30.  Delhi Land Pooling Scheme;
 For meeting demand of land-- rapid population
 growth, DDA framed
 Land pooling Scheme --to source land from landowners
 without compulsory acquisition/cash compensation
 Scheme based on the principle of --
 land owners to share part of land with DDA
 in lieu of getting permission for development / selling in market.
 dividing landowners into;Small land holders holding between 2-20
hect
 -- large land owners having land above 20 Hectare
 -- Small land owner returned 40% of land
 -- whereas large landowner gets 60% of the land
 Development conditions provide –
 ---pattern for land development based on
 -- land use, density ,FAR.
DDA – LAND POOLING POLICY

31. Mumbai-
Model of
sourcing land

32. Transfer of Development Rights(TDR)-
 -- Sourcing land for developing urban roads
 -- defined in master plans/development plans.
 --Development Rights given in lieu of compensation
 -- not in cash but in kind
Accommodation Reservation(AR)-
 --Sourcing land for public amenities
 -- dispensaries ,police-post, community centres,
convenient shopping-- defined in development plans
 Development Rights given –as compensation for land
Air Space Development Rights-
 for intensive utilization of land --creating built up space
over the public transportation network etc

39. MAKING
CITIES
COMPACT

40.  Making Cities Compact;
 In addition to making available adequate land
 Minimum land to be used for urbanization
 Preparing master plans/development plans-to make
cities compact
 - a city of short distances
 --involving minimum use of land.
 --Promoting pedestrianisation
 -- Involving mixed land uses.
 -- planned/designed /developed
 --as a vertical / inward looking city.
 -- walk-able city- involving Transit Oriented Development
 - promoting high density development
 providing large built up area using minimum land

41. OTHER
MODELS

42.  Two basic Approaches for sourcing land—
 -- Bringing new land into urban market &
 -- Optimum Utilisation of available urban land
 Re--densification– Proposed model of -- Chandigarh
 Using Terraces for Housing– --- New York
Model
 Promoting flatted development -- Singapore
Model
 Cross- subsidization– -- --- Hong Kong
Model
 Public &Private partnership ---West Bengal
 Reserving land for EWS Housing –-- Gujarat/Punjab
/Haryana

43. WAY
FORWARD

44.  Considering enormity /magnitude of problem
 declared policy of government to provide housing for all by 2022
 launching six urban focussed missions/yojnas /schemes
 pressure on urban areas --going to increase enormously.
 With more people residing in urban areas-- .
 State of Punjab would require ;
 --additional land of 6200 hectares -- 2021;
 -- 8200 hectares between 2021-2031.
 -- for leveraging land in right quantity/right place/right price--
 Town Development Scheme provided - PRTPA1995-- prototype of
Land Pooling and Land Distribution Scheme --used by Gujarat/
Maharashtra-- would be best option --to source land without
involving any compulsory acquisition.
 Unfortunately potential of scheme not explored in last 23 years
 No Town Development Scheme framed in state.
 high land values / small land holdings/high stakes in agriculture-
 land pooling scheme emerges-- best option to source land
 Planners to look at other defining options at minimizing land
for urban purposes by redefining contours of future cities.