Draft TN State Land Use Planning Policy.pdf

Draft Tamil Nadu State Land Use
(Planning) Policy
April 18, 2019

Foreword by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

Table of Contents
1 PREAMBLE .................................................................................................................................1
2 TAMIL NADU – AN OVERVIEW ................................................................................................1
2.1 LAND USE STATUS ........................................................................................................................3
2.2 SPATIAL GROWTH DIRECTIONS......................................................................................................5
2.3 KEY CHALLENGES ........................................................................................................................6
3 NEED FOR STATE LAND USE (PLANNING) POLICY AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE ..................8
4 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ..............................................................................................................9
5 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STATE LAND USE (PLANNING) POLICY ..........................10
6 HIERARCHICAL SPATIAL FRAMEWORK...............................................................................10
7 STATE SPATIAL STRATEGY ....................................................................................................11
7.1 ENVIRONMENT...........................................................................................................................12
7.2 ECONOMY..................................................................................................................................13
7.3 SOCIETY.....................................................................................................................................17
7.4 STATE SPATIAL STRATEGY PLAN (MAP).........................................................................................20
8 FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY AND PLANNING..............................20
8.1 DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY ZONES.................................................................................................20
8.2 PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION ZONES ................................................................................22
8.3 RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL ZONES..............................................................................................23
8.4 TRANSITION AND BUFFER ZONES ................................................................................................24
9 FRAMEWORK FOR SETTLEMENT LEVEL LAND USE PLANS.............................................25
9.1 MASTER PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY ZONES ...................................................................25
9.2 MASTER PLANS FOR RURBAN AREAS .............................................................................................26
9.3 DETAILED DEVELOPMENT PLANS ................................................................................................26
9.4 GRAM PANCHAYAT DEVELOPMENT PLANS ...................................................................................26
9.5 MASTER PLANS FOR PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION ZONES ..................................................26
9.6 MASTER PLANS FOR TRANSITION AND BUFFER ZONES...................................................................27
10 INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM AND IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK.....................27
10.1 STATE LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE ...........................................................................................27
10.2 REGIONAL AND SUB REGIONAL PLANS .........................................................................................27
10.3 SETTLEMENT LEVEL LAND USE PLANS .........................................................................................28
10.4 FORMULATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW OF PLANS ............................................................28
10.5 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS GENERATION ................................................................30
11 HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT .................................................30
12 TIMELINES...........................................................................................................................30
ANNEXURE 1: DELINEATION OF REGIONS AND SUB-REGIONS.................................................I

ADMINISTRATIVE DELINEATION OF REGIONS AND SUB-REGIONS.................................................................. I
FUNCTIONAL DELINEATION OF REGIONS AND SUB-REGIONS........................................................................II
ANNEXURE 2: CRITERIA FOR DEMARCATION OF DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY ZONES .........III
CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING LAND BANKS ................................................................................................... III
ANNEXURE 3: INDICATIVE GUIDELINES FOR TRANSITION AND BUFFER ZONES.............. IV
DO’S AND DON’TS FOR TRANSITION AND BUFFER ZONES ........................................................................... IV
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES (STATE MAY ADD ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES).............................................................V
PERMISSIBLE BUT REGULATED ACTIVITIES (INDICATIVE ONLY).....................................................................V
PROMOTED ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................................ VI
ANNEXURE 4: STATE LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE............................................................. VII

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1 Preamble
Patterns of human use of land effect a wide variety of outcomes – ranging from economic
development, urbanisation, social upliftment etc. However, unplanned and unscientific use of
land can also lead to climate change, social unrest, disasters like drought or floods, economic
disparities and social imbalance between urban and rural communities.
Government of Tamil Nadu has economic as well social development of state as its key priority.
It is increasingly focussing on developing economic / industrial corridors and improving urban
areas for habitation purposes. Such developments are being promoted in partnerships with
the community, national and international private sector, bilateral and multilateral agencies,
as well as central government various schemes like Smart Cities, AMRUT, HRIDAY, PMAY –
urban, major and minor port projects, NIMZ, Logistics Parks, SEZs, IT Parks etc. and other
planning socio-enviro-economic planning approaches. At the same time, the state is planning
to improve rural economies and rural infrastructure with schemes like integrated watershed
management, PMGSY, PMKSY, Rurban and developing other rural and agro-infrastructure on
hub and spoke models and network concepts.
Judicious use of land resources has gained foremost significance in all developmental
purposes. Experiences with disasters over the past decade has necessitated enhanced use of
spatial land use planning as a tool for guided development as compared to ad-hoc allocation
of land for various development projects. It is expected that this would lead to better
consideration of socio-enviro-economic aspects leading to better economic returns, social
cohesion and environmental balance.
As per the Constitution of India, 7th Schedule, State List entry 18, State governments have full
jurisdiction on land related matter including the right of use, transfer, alienation and
colonization of land. Hence, the State has the constitutional right and responsibility to prepare
a land use policy.
The state has been following recommendations of the draft Land Use Policy as prepared in
November 2004. The policy had a time horizon of 15 years and predominantly focussed on
preserving prime agricultural areas, expanding land under forest cover, increasing productivity
of agriculture, reclaiming waste land, expanding irrigation facilities by tapping surface as well
as ground water, and effective watershed management.
Over the past 15 years, there have been improvements in agricultural productivity, reduction
in wasteland, irrigation coverage has expanded and forest and tree cover have shown some
signs of improvement. However, urbanisation and industrialisation have taken a priority in the
states economics, and water availability constraints have worsened. As the priorities of the
state are facing increased multi-sectoral challenges and the original time horizon of the draft
Tamil Nadu Land Use Policy is coming to an end, the state intends to set in place a new land
use policy for the state that also looks at the spatial planning perspectives.
2 Tamil Nadu – An Overview
One of the leading states of India in terms of economic as well as social development, Tamil
Nadu is the southern-most state of Indian peninsula. Administratively, Tamil Nadu shares its

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border with states of Kerala in the west, Karnataka in the northwest and Andhra Pradesh in the
north. To the east is the Bay of Bengal and the state encircles the union territory of Puducherry.
The state is bestowed with a varied geography. The western, southern and north-western parts
are hilly and rich in vegetation. The Western Ghats meet at the Nilgiri hills and traverse the
entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of south-west monsoon from
entering the state. The eastern parts are fertile coastal plains and the northern parts are a mix
of hills and plains. The central and the south-central parts are arid plains. Having India’s third
longest coastline at 1,076 km. and falling mostly in a region of low seismic hazard with an
exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone, Tamil Nadu
bore the brunt of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and has seen ten major cyclones in the past
sixteen years.
Administratively, Tamil Nadu has 32 districts, 215 sub districts, 385 administrative blocks, 12
municipal corporations, 125 municipalities, 561 town panchayats and 12618 village
panchayats, administering 1097 towns of which 721 are statutory towns and 376 are census
towns, and 15979 census villages (17680 revenue villages).
Eleventh largest state of the country, with an area of 130,058 km2, Tamil Nadu accounts for
about 3.96 percent of India’s geographical area. Accounting for about 5.95 percent of India’s
population (2011 Population Census), Tamil Nadu’s has witnessed a reduction in share from
7.67 percent of the total population of India in 1961. With an estimate of over 48 per cent of its
population living in urban areas, Tamil Nadu is regarded as one of the most urbanised states
amongst the large states of India.
Tamil Nadu is the second leading economy of the country with an estimated gross state
domestic product (GSDP) of ₹15.96 lakh crore (US$220 billion) in 2018-19. The gross state
domestic product (GSDP) in real terms registered a growth rate of 9.2% percent during 2004-
05 to 2013-14 facilitated by its primary, secondary and tertiary sector which have grown at 4.38
percent, 8.34 percent and 10.48 percent respectively during the same period (TNHDR, 2017).
Slower population growth rate coupled with increasing Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)
contributes significantly to the State’s higher per capita income as compared to all India
average.
Tamil Nadu is one of the few states in India, which has registered higher economic growth as
well as human development with an increasing rate of urbanisation. In the days of
globalisation, such progressive features of the state open up the avenues for economic growth
further facilitated by the policies of the government.
The Vision 2023 foresees an inclusive growth with six-fold increase in the per capita real income
and attain a human development index that is comparable with that of the developed
countries. It also visualises a poverty free Tamil Nadu, with productive employment for all.
Implicitly, sectoral policies in the state target facilitating future workforce with education and
skill development to offer possibilities of economic growth, and gainfully employing population
that has already joined the workforce.
Institutionally, there are over 30 departments dealing directly or indirectly with land use and its
governance related to specific sectors. Some of these departments look after same sector but
different aspects. Further each of these departments have multiple divisions, schemes,
autonomous institutes, PSUs and boards etc. with varying degrees of overlapping roles, scope,
mandate, functions and activities.
There is a well-established and efficient economic planning and governance framework in the
state. Key departments in this regards are State Planning Commission (SPC), Department of

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Evaluation and Applied Research (DEAR) and Department of Economic and Statistics (DOES).
The Planning Development and Special Initiative Department effectively anchors this pivotal
role in the State.
Furthermore, Tamil Nadu is one of the first states in the country to initiate regional spatial
planning approach. The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972),
mandates Directorate of Town and Country Planning (Housing and Urban Development
Department) for formulating urban and regional spatial plans in coordination with various
sectoral departments. The directorate had identified planning regions in the state, however,
due to institutional constraints, spatial planning efforts have been focusing on urban planning
only.
2.1 Land Use Status
Various ministries and departments at the National as well as State level maintain information
on existing land use statistics for their own planning purposes. However, as the definition of land
uses and land cover differ for each department, it is difficult to collate all information as
maintained by different departments into a single unified structure. As per the nine fold
classification of land use maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture in India (Statistical Year Book
of India 2017), Tamil Nadu had the following land use classification:
Table 1: Land Use of Tamil Nadu
All Figures are in Thousand Hectares
2003-04 2013-14
Land Use
Area (in
thousands) (ha)
Percentage
Area (in
thousands) (ha)
Percentage
Total geographical area 13006 NA 13006 NA
Reporting area for land
utilisation
13026.65 100.00 13033 100.00
Forests 2122.04 16.29 2125 16.30
Not available for cultivation 2622.73 20.13 2678 20.55
Permanent pastures and other
grazing lands
113.47 0.87 110 0.84
Land under misc. tree crops
and groves
282.98 2.17 245 1.88
Culturable wasteland 379.44 2.91 328 2.52
Fallow lands other than current
fallows
1862.86 14.30 1718 13.18
Current fallows 953.96 7.32 1115 8.56
Net area sown 4689.16 36.00 4714 36.17
A part of the area not available for cultivation (20.55 percent), estimates indicate that barren
and waste land account for about 6.69 percent, whereas all built-up, infrastructure,
waterbodies, etc. together accounted for about 13.86 percent.
Land use pattern in Tamil Nadu has undergone tremendous transformation over the past few
decades due to the impact of urbanization and industrialization. Changes in the land use
pattern are associated with ecological changes. In Tamil Nadu, the per capita availability of
land is only 0.18 ha while the per capita net sown area is only 0.07 ha.
A rough comparison estimate (error possibility of 10 percent) of Land Use Land Cover maps for
Tamil Nadu on a scale of 1:250,000, as available on Bhuvan portal (National Remote Sensing
Centre’s programme) for the years of 2005-06 and 2016-17, indicates that the area classified
as built up (including all settlements – urban or rural, industrial, infrastructure including roads,

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railways, ports canals etc.) increased from about 2.82 percent to 4.02 percent showing a sharp
increase of 1.2 percent in absolute terms. During the same period, area under water bodies
(post monsoons) reduced by 1.12 percent in absolute terms from 6.4 percent to 5.28 percent
possibly indicating weak monsoons in 2016-17. Furthermore, the total cropped areas reduced
from 53.69 percent to 50.72 percent (a decrease of 2.97 percent in absolute terms) whereas
the net sown area showed relatively smaller reduction of 0.7 percent in absolute terms from
34.94 percent to 34.24 percent over the years of 2005-06 and 2016-17. During the same period
the current fallows shows an increase of 2.34 percent in absolute terms from 20.17 percent to
22.51 percent. Interestingly, the total area under double triple cropping showed a reduction
of 2.28 percent in absolute terms and the area under rabi season showed an increase of 2.25
percent in absolute terms, possibly indicating a weak monsoon but higher dependence on
irrigation facilities.
Table 2: Land Use of Tamil Nadu (Bhuvan Portal Analysis)
Land Use 2005-06 2016-17
Built Up 2.82% 4.02%
Water (Post Monsoons) 6.40% 5.28%
Forest Dense 4.75% 4.42%
Forest Moderate 13.00% 12.18%
Forest Open 0.96% 0.89%
Grasslands 0.84% 0.69%
Littoral Swamps 0.09% 0.07%
Agriculture (Kharif) 6.26% 5.37%
Agriculture (Rabi) 9.93% 12.18%
Agriculture (Double or Triple Cropping) 18.75% 16.47%
Agriculture (Current Fallow) 20.17% 22.51%
Agriculture (Zaid) 0.00% 0.22%
Plantations 7.74% 7.30%
Wasteland 8.30% 8.39%
Total 100.00% 100.00%
According to the India State of Forest Report (2017), the total forest and tree cover in Tamil
Nadu accounts for about 23.80 percent of its total geographic area with a net increase of 73
sq. km. in the forest cover of the State attributed to plantations and conservation efforts within
Recorded Forest Areas.
The National Wetland Atlas: Tamil Nadu jointly prepared by Space Application Centre (ISRO),
Ahmedabad and Institute of Remote Sensing, Chennai (May 2010) estimates that the Tamil
Nadu has about 42978 wetlands. The total wetland area is estimated to be 902534 ha
accounting for about 6.92 percent of Tamil Nadu’s total geographic area.
It is further estimated that there are 4609 inland natural wetlands and 19480 inland man-made
wetlands accounting for approximately 50.64 percent and 33.78 per cent of the total area
under wetlands respectively. Whereas 404 coastal natural wetlands account for about 9.83
per cent and 191 coastal man-made wetlands account for about 3.73 percent of total area
under wetlands. In addition to these, it is estimated that there are about 18294 small wetlands
(< 2.25 ha) accounting for the balance 2.03 percent of the total area under wetlands.

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2.2 Spatial Growth Directions
2.2.1 Pre-Independence
Historically, Tamil Nadu has been in the forefront of urbanization. Tracing the political regimes
of Chera, Chozha, Pandiya and Pallava Kingdoms (Champalakshmi, 2010), Tamil Nadu saw
growth of 186 urban centres categorised as Royal Centres (Mandalams/Tinais/Nadu in the
form of regions of Kar Mandalam, Tondai Mandalam, Kongu Mandalam, Chola Mandalam
and Pandiya Mandalam), Brahmadeyas (Taniyurs), Nagaram (Trade centres or centres of
Merchant Bodies) and Pattinams (port towns and coastal towns) during the first two
millenniums. These were characterised by emergence of weaving centres like Kancheepuram,
Bhavani, Arani, Erode and port towns like Mamallapuram, Nagapattinam, Kaveripattinam,
Pudupattinam, Cuddalore, Tondi and Korkai.
Invasions of neighbouring kingdoms (Marathas, Chalukyas and others) led to emergence of
metropolitan and cosmopolitan urban centres such as Thanjavur. Post 1900s, occupation by
colonisers led to development of French and British port and canal towns. Focus on trade
routes to interiors led to development of hill towns (Ooty, Kodaikanal, Connoor) and railway
towns (Junctions).
2.2.2 Post-Independence
In the post-independence era, agglomerations picked up pace of development compared
to independent towns. Post 1991, the urbanisation in Tamil Nadu has taken huge leaps with
rapid rise of Class I towns and Class IV, V, VI towns and census towns.
Back in 2001, most of the urbanised areas were concentrated towards edges of the state with
Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Theni, Coimbatore and the
Nilgiris districts having urbanisation rates of more than 50 percent. However, by 2011, districts
like Erode, Salem, Thirupur, Virudhunagar and Thoothukkudi also rose up to the above 50%
category of urbanisation.
The rate of urbanization is seen with a sharp fall in the share of agricultural sector to net state
domestic product of Tamil Nadu from 52 percent in 1960-61 to 18 percent in 2007-08 to 8.2
percent in 2010-11. 92 percent of agricultural landholdings in Tamil Nadu belong to small and
marginal farmers and employs about 40 percent of the workforce. Coupled with negative
growth rates in the share of agricultural labour and farmers, emergence of increased focus on
industries and service sector has resulted in an increase migration from rural to urban areas.
2.2.3 Recent Trends
Regarded as its growth engine, service sector is a major contributor to GSDP of Tamil Nadu.
With its share consistently above 60 percent in the past decade, while the share of
manufacturing and agriculture averaged about 28 percent and 9 percent.
Modern services sector is surging rapidly in Tamil Nadu as it ranks second next to Karnataka in
export of ICT services. This growth of services sector directly correlates with the increasing
urbanisation. For instance, some of the services sector giants which were earlier housed in
Chennai have expanded and set up offices in Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur and Chingleput
districts.
Tourism and road connectivity are proving to be important contributors to the services sector
as Tamil Nadu tops the list of states in India with highest tourist arrivals both domestic and
international consecutively in the last three years. Roads in Tamil Nadu very well connect the

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tourist destinations, urban centres and industrial locations, covering about 153 km per 100 sq.
km.
According to the Annual Survey of Industries 2015-16, Tamil Nadu ranks first in terms of number
of factories, number of factories in operation and total persons engaged. It ranks third next to
Maharashtra and Gujarat in terms of output and gross value added. The state is home to nearly
40 percent of India’s total automobile industry. Tamil Nadu has attracted foreign direct
investments, particularly in auto telecom and hardware sectors including global majors.
Industrial growth in Tamil Nadu is spreading through several clusters located in small towns of
the state that specialise in a range of activities like textiles to auto components making.
The fast rate of urbanization has triggered conurbations, agglomeration and corridor
development leading to big urban regions within the state. For example, Coimbatore-Erode-
Salem Corridor has been on the limelight because of heavy industrial development and
emerging as a big industrial investment hub. Similarly Trichirapalli-Thanjavur corridor, Madurai
region and Thoothukudi region are also emerging rapidly.
2.3 Key Challenges
2.3.1 Socio Economic Challenges
With the absolute number and percentage of cultivators declining from 1991 onwards (possibly
due to farmers leaving farming/selling their land), Tamil Nadu is the only state in India which
has registered a negative growth in employment in agriculture since 1990s (Vijayabaskar,
2010). Possibly, they are working as agricultural labour as absolute numbers in this category is
increasing.
Evident from statistics for the districts of Chennai, Salem, Theni, Madurai and the Nilgiris, higher
levels of urbanisation are not necessarily translating into higher per capita income. Similarly,
whereas the districts of Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Perumbalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur and
Ramananthapuram with very low level of urbanisation show very high poverty, level of
urbanisation is not necessarily translating into freedom from poverty for people in districts like
Namakkal, Salem, Karur, Dindigul, Theni and Virudhunagar which show higher Multi-
Dimensional Poverty Index despite relatively higher rate of urbanisation.
Issues like less opportunities in the secondary and tertiary sector, declining agriculture, unequal
distribution of income within the district, poor quality of jobs, educated unemployment, high
levels of in-migration need to be addressed to ensure balanced development.
2.3.2 Water Constraints
With approximately four percent of India’s land area and six percent of population, Tamil Nadu
is a water deficit state with only 2.5 percent of India’s water resources. The total assessed water
resources in the state amount to 1587 TCM as against a demand estimate of 1894 TCM, an
alarming shortage of 19.3 percent when rainfall is ‘normal’, the water deficit is more of a
structural deficit rather than seasonal deficit.
Tamil Nadu has 17 major river basins of which Cauvery is the only major basin, whereas 13 are
medium and 3 are minor river basins.
The utilisable groundwater recharge is 22,423 MCM. The current level of utilisation expressed as
net ground water draft of 13,558 MCM is about 60 % of the available recharge, while 8875
MCM (40 %) is the balance available for use. Over last five years, the percentage of safe blocks

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has declined from 35.6 % to 25.2 % while the semi-critical blocks have gone up by a similar
percentage. About 40% of the land mass of Tamil Nadu has over exploited underground water
status while only 36% land area was deemed to be safe as per 2013 data.
More than 95 percent of surface water and 80 percent of ground water is already being put
into use. Major uses of water include human/animal consumption, irrigation and industrial use
wherein agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the State using 75 per cent of the State’s
water resources. The priority of water distribution has been domestic, irrigation and industry.
Except for coastal regions and delta region of River Cauvery, most of the districts are in lower
category of depth of water table in the post monsoon season (Groundwater yearbook of Tamil
and U. T. of Puducherry (2016-2017)). In the past five years, Tamil Nadu has seen one of the
most rapid decline of groundwater table in the world (0.34 meters per year).
Some districts in the Cauvery region show highest relative decline in ground water, Cuddalore,
Pudukkottai, Salem, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Thoothukudi have witnessed more
than 40 percent drop. Though Pudukkottai and Sivagangai belong to safe category as of now
they may soon belong to the critical category. This has enormous implications for agriculture,
domestic needs as well as water intensive industries.
2.3.3 Agriculture
Paddy occupies more than 61 percent of the total cultivated area of Tamil Nadu and is
cultivated in three seasons (April-July, August-November and December-March). The average
yield rate has been 3070 KG per hectare. Of the 32 districts, except Chennai which does not
cultivate paddy and Nilgiris which has less than 1 % under paddy, rest of the districts cultivate
paddy. Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam are the three major districts with 1.66, 1.62
and 1.57 lakh hectares under paddy and also rank low 30, 23 and 27 in terms of per capita
income respectively. Kancheepuram and Ramanathapuram have more than 70 percent of
area under paddy. Thiruvallur, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Pudukkottai, Madurai and
Sivagangai have more than 40 percent of the cultivated area under paddy. Whereas
Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Coimbatore and Tiruppur have less than 10 percent of total cultivated
area under paddy. Villupuram, Vellore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Coimbatore, Tiruppur,
Perambalure, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam are over exploited in terms of ground water and
paddy is a hydrophilic plant and requires standing water.
Surface irrigation is on the decline and private well irrigation has been on the rise, out of the
1.8 million wells, 0.16 million wells have gone defunct already. The worrisome aspect is decline
in the area irrigated by canals and tanks and the rise in the area irrigated by wells. The extreme
dependency on wells would further reduce the ground water and increase the cost of
extraction of water.
Declining ground water tables, encroachment of irrigation channels, decline of community
involvement in maintenance of irrigation structures, water disputes added by the woes of soil
erosion due to excessive use of chemical technologies haunt Tamil Nadu agriculture scenario.
2.3.4 Environment
Tamil Nadu has five national parks, 21 wild file sanctuaries, one conservation reserve covering
a total area of 3829.82 sq.km. There are three tiger reserves in Tamil Nadu (Kalakad
Mundanthurai, Anamalai and Mudumalai) and four elephant reserves (Nilgiri, Coimbatore,
Anamali and Srivilliputtur) and more than 450 species of birds in 34 Important Bird Areas of
which 20 are unprotected accounting for approximately 1620.34 sq.km. Furthermore, five more
unprotected important bird areas have been recently added to the list. There is also one

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Ramsar Site (Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary). A substantial part of NIlgiri Biosphere
is also part of the state extending to Nilgiri, Coimbatore, Erode districts.
As a state Tamil Nadu also accounts for one of the highest population of wild elephants 4015
as of 2012 as per MoEFCC estimates and 2761 in 2017 based on new counting method. Over
the past decade 50 elephants have died of electrocution. There are six elephant corridors
within Tamil Nadu that are considered critical due to extensive human habitation.
Due to clearance of forests and trees outside forests (legal and illegal) for agriculture,
plantations, residential, highways, railways, and other infrastructure project, has led to
fragmentation of contiguous forest into three separate landscapes as Anaimalai, Periyar, and
Agasthyamalai. Elephants are often found stranded and scattered in enclaves looking for
food and water or at highways and rail lines that cut across these corridors, exposing them to
accidents. There is an increase in human-elephant conflicts in the region. And it is estimated
that a total of 879 people have died in during 2005-14 due to human-elephant conflicts.
On August 9, 2018, for instance, in response to a PIL, the Supreme Court ordered the state to
close down within 48 hours, 39 hotels and resorts constructed in an elephant corridor in Nilgiri
Hills.
Furthermore, most of these protected and eco-sensitive areas are interspersed with
settlements. For example the industrial growth of Coimbatore is not just confined to
Coimbatore, but has spread into the neighbouring towns of Coonoor, Ooty, Palakkad,
Tiruppur, Mettupalayam, and Pollachi, forming an “urban network” that is economically and
politically connected. This has resulted in extensive degradation of River Noyyal, with potable
water in Vellingiri Hills becoming a cesspool of effluents and has a dry catchments as it passes
downstream from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Karur and Tiruchirapalli (WWF 2011)
Tamil Nadu has faced issues of ground water pollution due to industrial effluents in the past.
Chennai - Manali, Cuddalore, Vanniyambadi, Thoothukudi and Tirupur, are well known for
petrochemical, pharmaceutical, leather and textile production and processing sectors. These
clusters are also known for their higher levels of pollution. For instance the Orathampallayam
dam meant to serve as a reservoir for River Noyyal became a cesspool of effluents soon after
its commissioning in the year 1992 (Ramakrishnan, ,2018). Similarly the untreated effluents from
the leather units in Vaniyambadi, Ambur and Vellore let out in the Palar river which supplies
water to the Northern Tamil Nadu, affected the ground water making it unfit for drinking and
agriculture. High industrialisation in Tamil Nadu suggests that while it contributes to urbanisation
and income, the negative externalities have serious implication for land use and water.
The vision 2023 document identifies various corridors of growth, need for sufficient infrastructure
and ten world class cities and agglomerations around it. As in many cases these corridors pass
through natural settings of the regions, increasing competition and conflicts with available
environmental resources like protected and unprotected environmentally sensitive areas
including forests, heritage and archaeological monuments, unique tourism destinations, water
and grazing lands due to development projects like expanding highways, industrial use of
land, agriculture, water consumption, etc. are envisaged.
3 Need for State Land Use (Planning) Policy and its Significance
Public policies taking the form of master plans, primarily use spatial and land use plans and
zoning and building code regulations as well as environmental regulations to affect land use.

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These instruments function by restricting usage of land, but cannot influence how individuals
and businesses would like to use land.
At the same time other policies and schemes (like, industrial, tourism, education, health,
transportation, housing, agriculture etc.) – not directly related to land use planning systems,
create incentives to use land in certain specific ways. However, it is not necessary that such
policies correspond to best possible use of land for developing the state as a whole.
Taking into account the sectoral development scenario, their issues and the new urban
agenda, it is imperative to have State Land Use (Planning) Policy that provides a strategic and
participatory framework for spatial integration of efforts of various sectors, minimise the inter-
sector conflicts and ensure judicious use of scarce land to prioritise development, protect
environment and conserve cultural heritage.
Furthermore, the New Urban Agenda (2016) recognises the correlation between, land, good
urbanization and development along with job creation, livelihood opportunities, and
improved quality of life. The NUA specifically especially emphasises on urban and rural
interaction thereby advocating improvements in existing legislations, governance and
capacities.
This policy envisages to bridge this gap by bringing on board a multi-sectoral approach and
ownership to ensure that the underlying themes / essence of various existing policies and
guidelines of different sectors are captured and well represented in the proposed land use
planning policy to ensure that synergy is achieved across various sectors.
The policy serves as a spatial governance tool that guides balancing of considerations to all
sectors and levels of governance by recognising interdependency of demographic and
economic trends and linking national, sub-national/state level fiscal systems, schemes, projects
that directly impact efficiency of land use.
The policy also advocates for a common platform for decision makers to integrate sectoral
concerns and tax policy incentives by strengthening regional considerations as part of
planning and project conceptualisation.
The policy also addresses the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which contains land-
related targets. The policy will impact achievement of 11 out of the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) due to its direct relation to 26 targets spread across SDG 1, 2, 6, 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16.
4 Guiding principles
The policy recognises and appropriately incorporates the following as guiding principles:
 People centric: People are at the centre of concerns and they are entitled to a healthy
and productive life in harmony with nature. Public interest is a fundamental principle.
 Inclusive: Everyone, irrespective of his / her social / economic status, gender, religious
beliefs or ethnicity, has right to enjoy the fruits of development. Participation of community
and other stakeholders in decision-making process of spatial planning ensures inclusiveness
and minimises conflicts, enhances acceptability and inculcates ownership of plans and
makes the processes transparent.

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 Sustainable: All developments must be sustainable to meet the economic and social
needs as well as address resource constraints and environmental concerns of present as
well as the future generations and should aim to minimise displacement of population.
 Enhance and Support Livelihood: Economic development and access to livelihood are the
basic requirement of human life. Balanced spatial planning should promote a physical and
investment environment conducive to economic development and access to livelihood.
 Integrated Approach to Prioritize and Manage Land Use: Hierarchical spatial planning
system at various levels (state, regional/district, local) complementing socio-economic
development initiatives of government, can increase efficiency and effectiveness of
governance leading to successful implementation of schemes by addressing constraints
of sporadic practice of land use planning in urban areas, certain eco-sensitive zones, and
economic or investment zones reduces.
5 Aim and Objective of the State Land Use (Planning) Policy
The policy aims to provide a strategic framework to spatial integration of environmental,
economic, social development initiatives in Tamil Nadu at all levels of governance, with a view
to achieving sustainable growth, equitable access to resources and conflict-free land use
management.
The objectives to accomplish the aim include:
 Strengthen existing three tier hierarchical spatial planning framework in terms of
o State Spatial Strategy
o Framework for Regional Strategic Planning
o Framework for Settlement Level Land Use Planning (both urban and rural)
 Prioritisation of areas for
o Conservation of environment, natural resources and heritage
o Promotion of Economic Development (primary, secondary and tertiary sectors)
o Balancing Spatial Equities in Society
 Advocating formulation of a wholistic guided urbanisation strategy
 Evolve and strengthen the Institutional, Coordination and Implementation Mechanisms for
Land Use Planning and Management with due consideration to strategic interests and
projects/developments of national importance, (defence, internal security and others).
6 Hierarchical Spatial Framework
Land is a finite resource. There are competing and often conflicting demands for land for
economic and social needs in the development sector. World over, integrated spatial land
use planning is known to result in accrued benefits leading to sustainable development that
finds the right balance between socio-economic aspects and the environmental
considerations. It is imperative that effective hierarchical spatial planning framework be put in

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place to ensure judicious use of land that conserves environment, resources, and heritage and
minimises socio-economic conflicts and achieve sustainability.
To cope with the dynamics and pace of development in the state, the existing three tier
hierarchical spatial planning framework will be strengthened by preparing strategic spatial
plans (at each level of governance) for a plan period of 10 to 20 years with a provision of
revision every 5 years.
The three tier hierarchical spatial planning framework will comprise of:
 A ‘State Spatial Strategy’ in the form of a spatial plan in a scale range of 1:500000 to 1:
200000 to formulate the spatial goals and strategies of Tamil Nadu that guides and reflects
overall development initiatives in the state with due consideration to environment (forests
and protected areas, ecologically sensitive areas, waterbodies, etc.), economy
(agriculture, industries, mines, tourism, infrastructure etc.), social development (settlement
hierarchy for both urban as well as rural areas, disaster and socially vulnerability) and
strategic interests and developments of national importance.
 ‘Framework for Regional Spatial Strategy and Planning’ providing for strategic spatial plans
for delineated administrative and/or functional regions and sub-regions (as defined in
Annexure 1). These strategic spatial plans prepared under Tamil Nadu Town and Country
Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972) will provide for critical and strategic guidance to spatial
linkages and settlement pattern, investment/development priorities and for creating
statutory plans that can be enforced at local level. Prepared in a scale range of 1:50000
to 1:100000, such plans will incorporate development proposals of all sectors indicating
further refined boundaries for:
o Development Priority Zones (urban, Urbanisable, industrial, mining and quarrying,
infrastructure and logistics)
o Preservation and Conservation Zones for water/ecologically fragile/heritage areas,
o Transition and Buffer Zones
o Rural and Agricultural Zones
 ‘Framework for Settlement Level Land Use Plans’ for the development priority zones as well
as for other urban and rural settlements will comprise of Master Plans, Zonal Plans, Local
Area Plans, Detailed Development Plan, prepared under Tamil Nadu Town and Country
Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972) on a scale 1:10,000 or higher indicating precise
boundaries of various land use zones. These plans will conform to strategic spatial plans for
regions and sub-regions and shall have statutory status for enforcement at local/plot level.
7 State Spatial Strategy
For addressing the issues of water constraints, economic disparity or other sectoral conflicts
and land use planning challenges as mentioned earlier, the state level spatial strategy will
ensure that use of land is in general driven by its most economical and least environmental
impact. The spatial strategy will advocate for assigning priority areas for development, no
development as well as conservation and augmentation of water. This will improve economic
competitiveness along with more equitable income distribution as compared to a scenario of
continued water scarcity.

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The state spatial strategy will address the three pillars of sustainability i.e. environment,
economy and society.
7.1 Environment
7.1.1 Forests and Protected Areas
To meet stipulations of National Forest Act 1988, The Department of Environment and Forests
will increase the forest and tree cover to 30% of total geographical area by 2025 and 33% by
2030, while conserving dense forest areas (with crown density >40%) covering approximately
8676 sq.km. This effectively means a change in land use for about 10% of the overall areas of
the state. This will be achieved by demarcating district/block wise spatial distribution of land
for identifying additional area of 10321 sq.km. that can come under forest and tree cover (TOF)
including plantations.
To ensure safe management of wildlife corridors through participation of local communities,
line department, and civil society organizations and Joint Forest Management through Village
Forest Committees to rehabilitate, restore and re-afforest degraded and open forests (crown
density <40%) and protect forests adjacent to settlements (crown density 40% - 60%) from
further degradation especially in the western districts bordering the states of Kerala and
Karnataka, the state will notify key movement corridors and possibly acquire them for linking
protected areas.
The state will notify and improve/develop mangroves and coastal shelter belt plantations as
bio-shield/forests to facilitate implementation of Coastal Zone Management Plan.
The state will identify and regulate eco-tourism hotspots as a subset of conservation measures
using well defined strategies involving local communities with due consideration to carrying
capacity.
For these purposes the Department of Environment and Forest will jointly work with State Land
Use Board to coordinate with Departments of Planning Development and Special Initiatives,
Public Works, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Revenue and Disaster
Management.
7.1.2 Conservation and Augmentation of Water Resources
The state will map critical/semi-critical and over exploited zones/blocks for groundwater and
reduce dependence on them by not opening them for industries and shifting cropping pattern
from water intensive crops (like paddy) to less water intensive crops.
The state will demarcate important water bodies as protected areas and prevent
encroachment /blockage of natural drainage pattern by managing river basin catchment
area and formulate region specific guidelines for Protected and Unprotected Aquifer
Recharge Areas.
Programmes for Joint Forest Management, Participatory Watershed Development and
Participatory Irrigation along with Participatory Ground Water Governance (Pani Panchayats)
especially in districts bordering Kerala and Karnataka and districts that are part of Cauvery
basin will be reinitiate/integrated and strengthen further.
The state will ensure that industries adhere to the zero liquid discharge and recycling of water
for industrial use in the identified water scarce blocks. The state will also facilitate, implement,
manage, monitor and invest in 100% coverage of piped water supply for all

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settlements/industries and built-up land cover to facilitate PWD in reducing / completely stop
tapping of ground water for domestic or industrial use.
For these purposes the Department of Water Resources (Public Works) will jointly work with State
Land Use Board to coordinate with departments of Planning Development and Special
Initiatives, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Revenue and Disaster Management,
Housing and Urban Development, Municipal Administration and Water Supply, Environment
and Forest.
7.1.3 Disaster Prone Areas
Tamil Nadu is vulnerable to natural hazards such as cyclones, tsunamis, floods and drought.
Whereas, 13 districts of Tamil Nadu are vulnerable to high or very high cyclonic impact and
flooding, at least seven districts are regularly impacted by drought conditions.
Mapping and clear demarcation of natural hazards and disaster vulnerable areas has been
undertaken by Revenue and Disaster Management Department recently. Major Accident
Hazards will be identified and integrated to existing information to assess vulnerability of
settlements.
Investments and incentives will be focussed to:
 Conserve and create mangrove forests as bio shields against coastal hazards
 Harness flood water and ensure maintenance of natural drainage pattern especially in
Aquifer recharge zones
 Check unregulated growth of settlements in eco-sensitive areas, aquifer recharge areas
and influence area of MAHs.
 Encourage crop diversification and alternative employment in drought prone districts
For these purposes the Disaster Management Department will jointly work with State Planning
Commission to coordinate with departments of Planning Development and Special Initiatives,
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Revenue, Housing and Urban Development,
Municipal Administration and Water Supply, Environment and Forest, Industries, TNeGA, and
Water Resources (Public Works).
7.2 Economy
7.2.1 Agriculture and Livestock
Capping non-agricultural land requirements from food security perspective arrests possibilities
of other highly remunerative developments as well as acts as a disincentive for agricultural
productivity.
According to the state Human Development Report 2017, there will be a supply-demand gap
of about 14100 MCM (29.7 percent) for water in 2025 with about 70% demand from agriculture.
Hence, Tamil Nadu’s agriculture will be looked at from the perspective of use of water and
productivity.
Continued emphasis on increasing agricultural productivity especially in dryland areas and
marginal lands will achieve production targets in wake of shrinking land and water resources.
These are the areas with low or very low base yield levels and have potential for substantial
improvement in productivity.

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Increasing productivity per unit of land increases productivity per unit of other resources such
as water and labour. However, in recent times there is deceleration in productivity growth in
irrigated agriculture in several parts of the state.
The state will shift focus towards increasing net income per unit area of land. This will enable
farmers to invest in modern, land saving technologies in future. Alternative employment and
farm linked value addition will be priority in districts of Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam.
Farmers will be encouraged to shift to less water intensive crops as well as technologies that
would enable cultivating paddy with relatively less water. The state will consider reduce areas
under paddy cultivation especially in critical, semi-critical and over exploited ground water
blocks. Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Villupuram will be taken up on priority basis for such
initiatives.
Tamil Nadu produces 3% of country’s food grains production, 7% of vegetable production, 12%
of fruits and as high as 24% of flower production. There appears to be a shift towards
horticulture crops which are high value and can be key to doubling farmer’s income. Dindigul,
Krishnagiri, Salem, Erode, Trichy, Dharmapuri and Namakkal are prominent districts for
horticulture and floriculture and require timely transportation to the market destinations, cold
storage and pack houses near major production centres.
In order to ensure that targets are achieved within given timeframe, the agriculture and allied
departments will closely coordinate with other sectoral departments to identify and map land
areas/zones most suitable for crop production / diversification based on scientific criteria like
agro-climatic zones, natural topography, contour and drainage patterns, sustainable
availability of water, soil quality and nutrients, high yielding variety of seeds, bio fertilizer/bio
pesticides, mechanisation, modern farm practices and precision agriculture, agro-logistics
chain and human resources etc.
The investment in agriculture and allied services will be focussed in areas which are unlikely to
become urbanised or built-up in near future. Mapping, planning, promoting and developing
agro-logistics facilities including seed production /storage /distribution, processing of bio-
fertilizers and pesticides, crop harvesting, processing and storing facilities, high quality
warehousing and cold storage facilities will be undertaken on priority.
The Department of Agriculture along with the Agricultural Policy and Planning Division of State
Planning Commission will jointly and closely coordinate aforementioned initiatives with the
departments of agriculture engineering, water resources (public works), Environment and
Forests, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Housing and Urban Development, Industries,
and Revenue department.
7.2.1.1 Grazing Lands, Grasslands and Village Commons
The state will formulate Pasture Land and Grazing Policy and assess livestock scenarios in terms
of economic, social and nutritional resources in view of changing lifestyle, agricultural
practices, silvo-pasture techniques nutritional requirements and food consumption pattern by
2020.
The State will focus on stabilising livestock population by improving livestock management
practices and reducing dependency on forage resources and improving all season availability
of fodder by addressing deficit of green (>45 lakh MT) and dry fodder (>7.5 lakh MT).
The State will formulate guidelines for promoting and managing grasslands/ grazing land and
pastures in forest fringe areas/eco-sensitive zones, and estimate extent of pasture land
available in open forests to explore possibility of fodder production in forest areas.

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7.2.2 Industries
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are fundamental to promoting entrepreneurship in an
economy and providing employment opportunities at a relatively lower capital cost and play
a critical role in industrial development, particularly in rural and backward areas. Tamil Nadu
has a strong MSME sector producing about 6000 variety of products including textiles and
garments, electrical and electronic products, engineering products, plastics, steel, cement,
etc. Tamil Nadu has over 15.61 lakh registered MSMEs, employing close to one crore people,
with a total investment of INR 168331 crores. In 2016-17 MSMEs in Tamil Nadu grew at a rate of
about 20.63%.
Considering the overall water scarcity, and in line with the vision 2023 and the industrial policy,
the state will focus industrial investments on priority basis in:
 Chennai – Tiruchirapalli – Madurai – Thoothukudi Industrial corridor with Manufacturing and
Investment Regions (Madurai, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Ramanthpuram) and an Agri-
Business Investment Region (Thoothukudi) along with nodes of Chennai and Tiruchirapalli
focussing on engineering, Villupuram focusing on agro-industries and Ariyalur focusing on
Mineral based industries
 Coimbatore – Salem Industrial Corridor with Manufacturing and Investment Regions
(Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Salem) and Agri-Business Investment Region (Erode and
Namakkal)
 Chennai – Ranipet – Hosur Industrial Corridor with agro industry based nodes
(Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Thiruvathipuram, Vellore, Gudiyattam, Vaniyambadi,
Tirupattur and Krishnagiri) and three nodes with focus on automobile, auto-component,
light engineering and logistics (Walajapet, Arakonam, Sriperumbadur, Vellore and Hosur)
 Coimbatore Madurai Industrial Corridor with the nodes of Coimbatore and Tiruppur
focussing on engineering and textiles and the nodes of Madurai and Dindigul focussing on
agro-processing and textiles.
In addition to above the following projects will be put up on fast track mode for development
in vicinity of Chennai:
 Sriperumburur area development as a satellite centre for Chennai
 Chennai Finance City with Satellite centres at Parrys and Guindy
 Information Technology Investment Region with major centres at Chengalpattu,
Thirukkalukundeam, Khanchipuram and Sriperumbudur
 And a heavy engineering industrial park with shipbuilding, heavy electricals and energy
equipment manufacturing in Tiruvallur
To create balance in terms of regional economy and facilitate shift of workforce from
agriculture to non-agriculture sector, the state will focus on developing following projects on
priority basis:
 Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical and Investment Region at Cuddalore –
Nagapattinam
 100 SME clusters and industrial areas with 25 of these to be taken up on priority basis spread
across 16 districts.
 Skill Development Centres and Trade Specialisation centres in all district headquarters

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 Knowledge hubs at Coimbatore, Salem, Madurai and Tirunelveli
 Centre of Excellences at Chennai in the fields of aerospace, construction engineering,
social science, biotechnology, basic sciences, solar and clean energy, nano-technology,
auto and automodive technology and medicines and non-communicable diseases
 Centre of Excellences at Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli for agriculture and water
respectively
Integration of Government of India’s proposed defence manufacturing industrial zones along
Chennai - Hosur as well as Coimbatore – Salem industrial corridors will be taken up on priority
basis.
7.2.3 Mines and Quarries
Tamil Nadu is one of the leading States in the reserves of the minerals viz., Lignite, Garnet,
Magnesite, Quartz, Feldspar, Clay, Limestone, Bauxite, Graphite and Granite. The growth of
cities increase the demand for larger quantities of construction materials. As a result, sand
mining is being done in riverbeds of Tamirabarani, Nambiyar, Vaigai, Cauvery, Kollidam and
Palar. Stone quarrying is also being done in state. Granite is available in Dharmapuri, Erode,
Kanchipuram, Madurai, Salem, Thiruvannamalai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore & Villupuram
districts. State has rich reserves of various minerals and exploration drive is currently on for
platinum, Molybdenum and gold in Salem and Namakkal districts.
The state will ensure that activities such as mining and quarrying are carried out without any
over exploitation and over extraction.
7.2.4 Tourism
The state identifies tourism as a specialised industry that boosts local employment
opportunities, promotes preservation of monuments, heritage properties and eco-sanctuaries
and helps survival of traditional art forms, crafts and culture. With five World Heritage Sites
declared by UNESCO, and diversified tourist attractions (temples, mountains, waterfalls,
beaches, monuments, wildlife, hill stations, art, culture, tradition, cuisine and heritage.
Particular importance will be accorded to development of heritage tourism destination (25
priority locations as mentioned in the vision 2023)
Since a majority of tourist sites fall in forest, coastal areas, and other eco-sensitive areas, spatial
planning of such areas will be undertaken on a priority basis in a manner that promotes tourism
as well as minimises conflicts with environment and other zones.
7.2.5 Infrastructure
Good infrastructure guides/boost economic development, societal outreach and integration
of regions. At the same time it results in conflicts with environment. Furthermore, infrastructure
is not a domain of one individual department. Hence, it is important to find a fine balance of
sustainability through inter-sectoral coordination.
The state will ensure that all relevant sectoral departments come together and coordinate
environmentally friendly infrastructure development with equitable and affordable access to
all.
The state will ensure that the project identified in the vision 2023 are completed in timely
manner. Particular focus will be laid on:
 Roads: Development of 2,000 km expressways and widening of 5,000km of state highways
to 4 lanes and 16,000 km of roads to 2 lanes. Some of major projects include Chennai -

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Bangalore Expressway and the six/eight lane triangular corridor: Chengalpet (Chennai) -
Thoothukudi (via Tiruchirappalli and Madurai), Thoothukudi – Coimbatore (via Madurai
and Dindigul) and Coimbatore – Chengalpet (via Tiruppur, Erode and Salem)
 Railways: High speed rail link connecting towns with population higher than 5 lakh,
doubling and electrification of all railway routes, and dedicated freight corridors for all
ports including Sriperumbudur - Guindy freight line, Chennai - Tuticorin freight corridor, and
Chennai Bengaluru freight corridor
 Airport: Greenfield Airport Complex in Chennai with a capacity of 40 million passengers
and upgrade to international airports in Trichy, Coimbatore & Madurai with a capacity of
10 million passengers each
 Ports and Logistics: Three greenfield multi-user, multi-cargo ports with a total planned
capacity of 150 million tons in Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Mannapad regions. Logistics
parks including container terminals and LNG terminals at ports of Chennai, Ennore and
Colachel, ICDs at Sriperumbudur, Ariyalur / Perambalur, and RO-RO cum Multipurpose
Berth and Multilevel Car Park at Chennai and Ennore Ports
 Waterways: National Waterway-4 is currently being developed and the North and South
Buckingham Canals form part of this route for transporting fertilizers and salt
 Energy: Add 20 GW of thermal power generation capacity, 10 GW of solar/ wind power
generating capacity, smart grid and transmission systems, and telescopic tariff reforms to
ensure affordable access to all
 Health Care: Three Medi-cities (Chennai, Perundurai & Madurai), medical colleges in all
districts, five nurse training institutes and strengthening of Ayurveda, PHC/ UHC/ CHC and
hospital network
 Education: Establish and upgrade higher secondary schools in the backward districts of
Ariyalur, Perambalur, Theni, Tirunelveli, Villupuram, Tiruvarur, Dharmapuri and Pudukkottai
and integrating vocational/skill training programme in school curriculum
7.3 Society
7.3.1 Settlements
All human activities are a function of human settlements. Whatever the land use, the need to
have plan and manage nature, arises due to its interaction with human settlements. Human
settlements patterns and hierarchies directly correlate with economic and social opportunities,
as well resource availability. Priority settlements in a region influence considerations towards
essential infrastructure, carrying capacity, envisaged timelines, resource availability and flows,
implication on environmental resources etc.
The total land under built-up area in Tamil Nadu has seen a growth of over 40% in the previous
decade. With the growing levels of urbanisation and the demand for land by industrial,
commercial and residential activities may be met from marginal and low productive lands.
To counter market forces, the state will ensure direct interventions (preventing diversion of
fertile lands, landscape preservation act, permissions for new industrial units, etc.) and indirect
government interventions through regulation of land use like tax concessions for setting up
industries in low productive regions and disincentives for locations beyond development
priority zone boundaries.

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7.3.1.1 Population
The population of Tamil Nadu is expected to start stabilizing during the decade of 2021 – 2031.
The state’s population is estimated to be in the range of 65.58 million to 71.49 million (based on
medium and high variations in growth respectively) with a likely urbanisation rate of 65%.
(Sridharan, 2018)
7.3.1.2 Urban Settlements
The pace of urbanisation in Tamil Nadu is well depicted in the growth of its towns and reduction
in number of villages as 338 villages gave way to 265 census town between 2001 and 2011.
Between 1951 to 2011, the population share of class I towns in the state increased from 51.71%
to 60.72 percent as their numbers rose from 7 to 32m and collectively the population share of
Class IV, V and VI towns rose from 10.48% to 18.87% during the same period with an increase
in number of towns from 84 to 606. During the same duration, collectively the population share
of class II and Class III towns reduced from 37.81% to 20.40% as their numbers increased only
marginally from 131 to 186.
The settlement hierarchies have started giving way to agglomeration of smaller towns around
bigger urban centres and villages to census towns. An estimated addition of 270 census towns
is expected in the 2021 census indicating extensive urban sprawl. Majority of the census towns
are rapidly coming up in the belts of along the Chennai Bengaluru corridor, Coimbatore –
Salem Corridor, Nagercoil – Tirunelveli belt, and Madurai Virudhunagar belt.
The 12 smart cities will be developed as city regions in the forms of nodes for overall urban
hierarchy in the state with particular focus on Chennai agglomeration, Agglomeration of
Coimbatore - Tiruppur – Erode – Salem, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Vellore-
Ranipet, Cuddalore and Hosur.
The state will prioritise city regions of Karur, Dindigul, Puddukkottai, Gummidipundi,
Kanchipuram, Nagercoil, Ramanathpuram, Viruddhunagar, Tiruppuvanam, Kumbakonam,
Thiruvarur, Melaiyur, Mahabalipuram, Sivaganga, Thanjavur and Villupuram as emerging
nodes.
The state will focus on limiting urban sprawl to conserve natural drainage pattern with strict
development control guidelines and building codes.
Extensive urban sprawl indicates extensive dependence on underground water. 10 priority
towns (Salem, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Vellore, Hosur, Dindigul, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur,
Villupuram, Melaiyur) fall under overexploited zones whereas Erode and Karur fall under critical
and Theni, Tiruchirapalli, Cuddalore and Thanjavur under semi critical zones for ground water.
Controlling proliferation of deep tube wells (confined aquifer) and exploring a model bill for
restricting water drawl, managing and conserving ground water resources and aquifers in
these areas complemented by 100 percent coverage of piped water supply will be ensured
to control further urban sprawl.
A comprehensive Agricultural Land Preservation Act will be enacted to protect fertile farm
lands from speculative activities in land markets especially in the urban fringes of city regions.
7.3.1.3 Rural Settlements
The state has an objective of being at par with European standards for HDI in rural areas as
well. Rural settlements will be looked at as economically, socially and physically sustainable
spaces with improved quality of life of people living there.

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Special attention will be given to rural settlements within aforementioned city regions while
preparing various settlement level spatial plans in addition to the identified five Rurban clusters
for priority development (Kuthambakkam, Vaniyangudi, Velayuthampalayam, Madukkarai,
and Suthamali).
7.3.1.4 Land Management in Urban Fringes
The peri-urban areas or fringes of aforementioned cities and their agglomerations are fast
transforming into haphazard growth, unauthorized colonies, informal settlements, piecemeal
commercial and social amenities development and inadequate basic infrastructure and
social amenities. Land management instruments are central to urban development,
expansion as well as redevelopment of cities.
Whereas the state uses land acquisition instruments under LARR Act 2013, in terms of
compulsory acquisition and negotiated land acquisition (extensively used by Tamil Nadu
Housing Board), adoption of land readjustment (land pooling and town planning schemes)
and transferrable development rights will be explored to reduce costs of development.
7.3.1.5 Land Banks
If required land banks will be identified for priority development purposes with due
consideration to the relevant provisions of RFCTLARR Act, 2013 and Tamil Nadu RFCTLARR Rules
2017. Unnecessary pooling of land into land bank will be avoided and all land banks will be
directly linked to development priority zones. However, new land banks will not be created
from the sole perspective of creating a Development Priority Zone.
Guidelines for no-go-areas will be formulated on priority basis and made publicly available
before initiating the process for identification of land banks.
7.3.2 Socially Vulnerable
The socially vulnerable includes the population living below poverty line, socially and
economically backward, young children and vulnerable women. The state intends to
incentivise and ensure easy access to microfinance for setting up micro-enterprises to
strengthen resilient livelihood patterns (6.46 lakh SHGs (by 2020), and 2.8 lakh SHGs availing INR
27000 Crores of micro-finance credit.
The districts of Dharmapuri, Perambalur, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Ariyalur, Karur,
Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Theni, Dindigul and Thanjavur display the highest incidences of poverty
based on the Multidimensional Poverty Index. For meeting the state target of reduce
percentage of population below poverty line to below 8% by 2022 and 3% by 2030, particular
focus will be given to the districts of Perambalur, Ramanathapuram, Ariyalur, Theni, and
Thanjavur as they also fall in the lower range of per capita incomes. The districts of
Virudhunagar, Karur and Krishnagiri will be focussed from the point of view of improving equity
in distribution of resources and opportunities.
The state will increase emphasis on extremely vulnerable households of artisans for
Geographical Indicator tags of Tamil Nadu.
The state will map Village Commons and ‘Poramboke’ land directly related to vulnerable
population (sourcing firewood, cattle grazing, and medicinal grass, etc.) to ensure complete
control/restriction on transfer in Geographical Indicators and avoid allocation for other sectors
including industrial, permanent tourism facilities and/or other social infrastructure related to
education, health etc. in general.

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7.4 State Spatial Strategy Plan (Map)
(Attached)
8 Framework for Regional Spatial Strategy and Planning
In the year 1974, the State notified 8 regional planning areas (according to Section 10 (4),
under The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972)), in addition to the
Chennai Metropolitan Area. Although the Regional Offices of the DTCP are operational in
these regions, the Draft Regional Plans prepared in 1970s were not approved.
Land use capacities have varied overtime with changing spatial environmental and
economic conditions. This has necessitated identification of land use capacity for alternative
choice of land allocation among various uses. It is increasingly necessary to delineate the
problem areas, which need separate attention. Since supply of land is fixed, use of land for
one purpose will be at the expense of other and when huge investments are made on land
for one purpose it cannot be reverted back for other uses.
The major factors driving land use changes are growth in human and livestock population,
changes in cropping pattern, growth in area and productivity of agricultural crops, demand
for land for non-agricultural purposes such as industries, housing, roads and other development
infrastructure such as educational institutions, health and other rural and urban amenities.
Besides these direct land using factors, the indirect factors such as relative prices in agriculture
and non-agriculture sectors, income, and industrial and agricultural policies also have
significant influence on land use changes. The changing structure of agriculture in terms of
crop pattern, land holding pattern, irrigation facilities, and labour availability are some of the
factors that will determine land use within agriculture.
The state will review contemporary relevance of previous regional plans and revise or prepare
new regional and sub-regional plans for the delineated regions in line with the State Spatial
Strategy to ensure guided development in the state.
The regional and sub-regional plans will be prepared for a period of 15-20 years with a review
and revision every 5 years on rolling basis.
8.1 Development Priority Zones
Development priorities are a function of settlements. All major secondary and tertiary
economic activities happen in and around settlements, whether urban or rural. This in turn
reflect the built – up component of the state level land use and land cover. Built-up
components of land cover are rarely reclaimed to a natural or agricultural land use.
Interlinkages and hierarchy of human settlements are of utmost importance in development
planning. Hence, in all regional plan and sub-regional plans, the hierarchy of settlements (both
urban as well as rural) will be clearly identified and highlighted along with likely future built-up
patterns.
The existing built-up and likely future developable and priority areas will be ear marked in the
form of Development Priority Zones. Among other things, criteria for demarcating
Development Priority Zones will give due consideration to the list in Annexure 2 of this policy.
The Development Priority Zones will provide for the upward and downward linkages in terms of
master plans and detailed local area plans. If found necessary, as part of the spatial plans for

P a g e | 21
a region and its sub-regions, among other things the development priority zones may be
detailed further for identifying Urban and Urbanisable areas, industrial areas, mining and
quarrying areas and infrastructure and logistics areas (inter alia).
8.1.1 Urban and Urbanisable Areas
Urbanisable area are synonymous with land use conflicts, change in land use, shift from
agriculture and other primary economy to secondary and tertiary economy, damage and
threat to environment and waterbodies with unregulated development, as well as migration,
socially vulnerable, speculation of land prices, etc.
Hence, it is of first and foremost importance to analyse and prioritise the settlement expansion
areas in terms of ‘Urban and Urbanisable Areas’ that are in sync with settlement hierarchy,
investment priorities, sustainability in terms of economic, environmental and social resources.
Due consideration will be given to inclusion of Rurban Centres and agglomerations of census
towns on the periphery of urban areas.
The Urban and Urbanisable Areas will provide for spatial as well as temporal priorities for
development and guiding investment. Among other things demarcation of Urban and
Urbanisable Areas will specifically take into consideration the migration patterns, formal and
informal housing and settlements, resource and infrastructure availability.
8.1.2 Industrial Areas
Identified in consultation with Department of Industries and the industrial areas will include
industrial corridors, Special Investment Regions (SIRs), National Investment and Manufacturing
Zones (NIMZ), Petroleum, Chemical and Petro-chemical Investment Region (PCPIRs),
Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIRs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and all types
of industrial clusters, industrial estates and/or industrial parks. The industrial areas will also be
integrated with supporting non-processing infrastructure like housing, transportation networks,
trade and commerce, waste / effluent treatment and disposal installations. The basic
objective will be to promote industrialisation with minimum land use conflicts.
8.1.3 Mining and Quarrying Areas
Mines and Quarries are a contentious land use. Mineral deposits are naturally located, they
can be extracted only at the locations where they are found. Quarries are synonymous with
settlement patterns. Construction industry requires large amount of natural resources like sand,
gypsum, stones, etc. which are relatively easy to extract. Operational quarrying activities of
construction material tend to be at a smaller scale and not too far from settlements.
As India accepts the United Nations Framework Classification on Fossil Energy, Mineral Reserves
and Resources 2009 to standardise the mining industry practices, all areas with mine deposits,
potential for mining, operational mining, abandoned mining will be spatially and temporally
demarcated as Mining and Quarrying Areas as part of the Regional and Sub-Regional Plans.
The objective of demarcating such areas will be to minimise conflicts with other land uses like
forests and protected areas, water bodies (due to pollution), agriculture (due to impact on soil
health, water pollution and allocation), and people due to positive as well as negative impact
on economic opportunities as well as settlement expansion. The prioritisation of mining and
quarrying sites will be reflected in the Regional and Sub-Regional Plans.

P a g e | 22
8.1.4 Infrastructure and Logistics Areas
Providing infrastructure is one of the most important factors for guiding development. Broadly
classified in terms of physical infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, airports, waterways,
transmission lines, power plants etc.) and social infrastructure (education, health, sports,
recreation etc.), social infrastructure is predominantly a function within settlements, and will
follow its hierarchy in regional terms.
Representation of Infrastructure and Logistics Areas will focus on those physical infrastructure,
which have a greater potential of influencing development and direction of growth of
settlements and economy. Among other things, these will include:
 Dedicated freight and passenger transportation corridors (road, rail, etc.)
 Coastal ports (major, minor, private, PPP), jetties and inland waterway ports and terminals
 International and National Airport Complexes
 Multimodal logistics parks, Inland container depots, container freight stations, etc.
 Tank farms /terminals, coal storage and handling terminals
 Custer of warehouses/granaries/cold storages/truck terminals and wholesale/agricultural
markets, etc.
 Transmission corridors/lines for (solids - powder/pellets, liquids or gases) electricity, tele-
communication, water, petroleum, chemicals, petrochemical, gases and other products
over long distances under gravity or pressure.
 Power generation plants including thermal (coal/gas), nuclear, solar farms, wind farm (on
shore-offshore), tidal energy farms, hydropower (micro, mini, large), dams etc.
To facilitate better decision making, governance and spatial budgeting, heat maps
representing access to infrastructure and logistics in terms of time, distance, and cost as part
of thematic layers in Regional and Sub-Regional Plans will be prepared and supplemented by
standard symbols / alpha-numerical codes.
8.2 Preservation and Conservation Zones
Rivers beyond forested catchments are extensively overused and being compromised. With
extremely high dependence on ground water and virtually no recharge capacity in existing
scenario, the emphasis will be more on river basin catchment areas.
The state intends to conserve its dense forest areas, convert exotic plantations to natural
forests, increase its protected area network and identify and notify eco-sensitive zones as well
as ecologically fragile areas.
To meets the targets of Tamil Nadu State Spatial Strategy, the regional and sub reginal plans
will spatially and temporally identify and demarcate sensitive areas as ‘No-go/No
Development’ in the form of Preservation and Conservation Zones. Among other things
particular emphasis will be given to protected areas, conservation reserves, areas for aquifer
recharge and conservation, and areas for heritage conservation and protection (inter alia).
8.2.1 Protected Areas and Conservation Reserves
As part of Preservation and Conservation Zones, the protected area and conservation reserves
as notified by the State Government or National Government and other such environmental

P a g e | 23
zones and ecosystem service areas as declared by any law or order of the State or National
Government, will by clearly mapped and demarcated. Among other things, these will include:
 Protected Areas including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, marine national parks and
sanctuaries
 Conservation and Community reserves (including tiger reserves and elephant reserves)
 RAMSAR Wetland Sites
These areas will have a complete embargo on new built-up area or developments of any type
until/unless they can scientifically prove and decidedly demonstrate positive impact
/improvement /benefit to the subject demarcated as ecologically fragile and for preservation
and conservation or as allowed under an existing conservation act.
8.2.2 Aquifer Recharge and Conservation Areas
As part of the Protection and Conservation Zones, Aquifer recharge and conservation areas
will be identified and provided with a monitoring framework to protect water bodies
(especially near built-up environment) and to ensure that drain channels in the catchment
areas of irrigation tanks, ponds, and other natural water bodies are not blocked or
encroached upon. Such areas will include:
 Waterbodies and wetlands including lakes, ponds, tanks, reservoirs, rivers and their flood
plains, creeks, lagoon, etc.
 Critically polluted areas and river stretches that need retrofitting and rejuvenation
8.2.3 Heritage Protection and Conservation Areas
As part of the Protection and Conservation Zones, Heritage protection and conservation areas
will be identified and provided with a monitoring framework for all important heritage areas
along with a relevant buffer. Such area will include:
 UNESCO world heritage sites
 Archaeological Survey of India sites and surrounding areas
 Heritage and archaeological monuments, building precincts and surrounding areas and
buffers of state significance or regional significance including monuments and surrounding
areas declared as state heritage
8.3 Rural and Agricultural Zones
Rural and Agricultural Zones will be clearly identified and demarcated as part of Regional and
Sub Regional Plans. They will ideally comprise of predominantly rural areas with agriculture as
its major land use and economy. Such areas may still reflect sporadic small town panchayats
and census towns, occasional individual industrial units /rural / cottage industries, local tourist
locations, sporadic and small scale quarrying etc.
These areas will be characterized by extensive agricultural land uses (including horticulture,
poultry farming, raising of crops/ fruits/ vegetables/ flowers/ grass or trees of any kind, breeding
of livestock, including cattle/ horses/ donkeys/ mules/ pigs/ breeding of fish/ keeping of bees,
the use of land for grazing cattle and for any purpose which is ancillary to cultivation or other
agricultural purpose).
If necessary, among other things, the rural and agriculture zones may identify and/or
demarcate Agriculture Priority Areas and Priority Village clusters and Rurban Areas (inter alia).

P a g e | 24
8.3.1 Agriculture Priority Areas
Priority areas for agriculture and irrigation related investments will be spatially demarcated for
food security purposes and captive catchment for major agro industrial investments identified
as part of Development Priority Zones etc.
For above purposes, areas with high irrigation potential and sustainable water availability,
command areas of existing surface irrigation infrastructure, high soil productivity, contiguity of
agriculture/cultivable lands viz. soil classifications of Class I, II III and IV, potential for sustainable
crop diversification and multi-cropping, potential for agricultural practice modernisation,
precision agriculture etc. will by demarcated for prioritised investments with due considerations
to the agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu in close consultations with Agriculture and allied
departments as well as Tamil Nadu Agriculture University.
8.3.2 Priority Village Clusters and Rurban Areas
Priority village clusters as future Rurban areas of geographically contiguous village panchayats
having a combined population of about 25,000 to 50,000 in plains and coastal areas and a
population of 5,000 to 15,000 in hilly or tribal areas will be identified to prioritise interventions for
improving livelihood opportunities, improving quality of life by providing housing, roads,
sanitation, health care, education on cluster format.
8.4 Transition and Buffer Zones
Some lower order settlement agglomerations comprise of census towns, villages as well as
town panchayats, and witness growth which tends to be in conflict with natural and rural
environment. These areas, overlapping along the boundaries of Development Priority Zones or
Preservation and Conservation Zones or Rural and Agriculture Zones, would show mix of their
characteristics and may still not be categorised in any one of them.
Furthermore, water conservation, aquifer recharge and small animal and birds are immensely
affected by human and economic activities in absence of demarcated buffer outside
Preservation and Conservation Zones.
The regional and sub-regional plan will identify and demarcate such settlement
agglomeration and ecologically sensitive areas as ‘Transition and Buffer Zones’.
Such zones will utilise successful programmes like Joint Forest Management (JFM), Biodiversity
Boards, Participatory Ground Water Governance, Participatory Watershed Management etc.
for regulating development works.
Among other things, the transition and buffer zones may further identify and/or demarcate
areas that area ecologically sensitive, important for tourism, or other relevant purposes (inter
alia).
In future, if found necessary, such zones may be re-categorised as either Development Priority
Zones or Preservation and Conservation Zones or Rural and Agriculture Zones or may continue
to be part of transition and buffer zone, as the case may be, as part of regular plan reviews.
8.4.1 Ecologically Sensitive Areas
Ecologically sensitive areas will be clearly demarcated as part of Transition and Buffer Zones in
the Regional and Sub-Regional Plans. Such areas will include:
 Eco-Sensitive Zones as notified by the State and National Government

P a g e | 25
 Important Bird Areas as demarcated by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
 Coastal Regulation Zones
 Buffer areas to Preservation and Conservation Zones
 Important coastal and marine biodiversity areas including sands, beach, intertidal
mudflats, mangroves, coral reefs etc.
 Other water logged areas including floodplains, extremely vulnerable natural hazard
prone areas etc.
 Any other environmental zones and ecosystem service areas as may be declared by any
law or order of the State Government.
8.4.2 Tourism Areas
Tourist destinations, circuits and their surrounding with increasing footfalls and declared as
destinations of tourism significance of international, national or state level by the tourism
department, and are not already part of Development Priority Zones or Preservation and
Conservation Zones will be clearly marked as part of the Transition and Buffer Zones. These
destination will include (but not limited to) themes of heritage, culture, religious, business and
convention, leisure, beach, sports and adventure, nature and wildlife, etc.
9 Framework for Settlement Level Land Use Plans
The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972), provides for preparation
of Master Plans, Zonal Plans, Local Area Plans, Detailed Development Plan, prepared under
on a scale 1:10,000 or higher indicating precise boundaries of the various land use zones. Such
plans will be statutory plans that can be enforced at local/plot level. All plans prepared under
the framework of settlement level land use plans will be in accordance with Tamil Nadu Town
and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972) and will be guided by Urban and Regional
Development Plan Formulation and Implementation Guidelines of Government of India in
urban areas as well as Rural Area Development Plan Formulation and Implementation
Guidelines of Government of India for rural areas as the case may be.
The state will adopt and customise these two guidelines for the state with due consideration
to Tamil Nadu Highways Act 2001 for controlling ribbon development.
9.1 Master Plans for Development Priority Zones
Master Plans will be prepared for all Development Priority Zones as identified in the Regional
and Sub-Regional Plans. In locations, with existing defined plan areas (of local planning
authorities) extending beyond identified development priority zones, the entire plan areas will
be taken up for preparation of the Master Plan is accordance with provisions of Tamil Nadu
Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act 35 of 1972).
The objective of the Master Plan will be to provide necessary details and intended actions in
the form of strategies and physical proposals for various policies as given in the Regional and
Sub-Regional Plans.
Proposals of the Master Plans will be definite, supported by an investment and development
plan, phasing and implementation strategy along with evaluation and monitoring criteria
which is publicly accessible to ensure transparency in the intention of local planning authority

P a g e | 26
regarding physical, social and economic development, the facilities and the services that are
proposed to be provided in the near future.
These plans will be prepared for a period of 15-20 years with periodic reviews and revisions
every 5 years on rolling basis.
9.2 Master Plans for Rurban Areas
For the purpose of preparing Master Plans for Rurban Areas, the sections relevant to the New
Town Development Plan as mentioned in the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971
(Act 35 of 1972) will be applicable.
9.3 Detailed Development Plans
The Detailed Development Plans will be prepared for all urban and future Urbanisable areas,
industrial areas, mining and quarrying areas, infrastructure and logistics areas as part of the
development priority zones with due consideration to the respective themes on priority basis.
These plans will be prepared by the local planning authorities wherever existing or other
relevant government departments but eventually approved by local planning
authorities/regional planning office of Directorate of Town and Country Planning.
The detailed development plans for all settlements in the transition zone will be prepared in
the second phase.
These plans will be prepared for a period of 10 years with periodic reviews and revisions every
5 years on rolling basis.
9.4 Gram Panchayat Development Plans
As part of the Gram Panchayat Development Plans, the Spatial Plans will be prepared for all
existing and future rural settlements/built-up areas. The upcoming Rural Area Development
Plan Formulation and Implantation Guidelines as advised by the Ministry of Rural Development
and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India along with the provisions of Detailed
Development Plans as provided in the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (Act
35 of 1972) will be applicable.
9.5 Master Plans for Preservation and Conservation Zones
Master plans along with a set of elaborate guidelines for regulating and controlling
development for Preservation and Conservation Zones will be formulated, implemented,
framed and utilised on priority basis in accordance with the relevant environmental acts and
provisions thereof. The forest and environment department will undertake the activity on
priority basis for areas within their jurisdiction. For all other areas Department of Town and
Country Planning and relevant local planning authorities will undertake the said activity.

P a g e | 27
9.6 Master Plans for Transition and Buffer Zones
Elaborate guidelines for regulating and controlling development for such zones will be
framed/utilised based on the predominant conflicts in a particular area with considerations
indicated in Annexure 3: Indicative Guidelines for Transition and Buffer Zones. Master Plans for
Ecologically Sensitive Areas demarcated as part of the transition and buffer zones in the
Regional and Sub-Regional Plans will be prepared on priority basis in accordance with the
relevant environmental acts and provisions thereof.
10 Institutional Mechanism and Implementation Framework
As stated earlier, Tamil Nadu has been a front-runner in urbanization, industrialization as well as
many aspects of agriculture and social indices in the country. This essentially reflects the
presence of a strong and functional existing institutional mechanism and implementation
framework. However, recent constraints faced by the state have necessitated further
strengthening and integration of spatial dimension in the development process.
Preparation and implementation of spatial plans requires specialized scientific skills addressing
each sector and level of governance. The State Planning Commission (part of Planning and
Development Department) and the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (part of
Housing and Urban Development Department have been playing this role so far.
The institutional mechanism for the Hierarchical Planning Framework will be as under:
10.1 State Level Steering Committee
For the purposes of (a) formulating and reviewing State Spatial Strategy Plan, (b) coordinating
inter-sectoral interactions and priorities, (c) identifying planning regions in the state, (d)
evaluation, approval, monitoring and review of regional plans and (e) management and
governance of land uses in the state as detailed in the Guidelines, a State Level Steering
Committee / State Spatial Planning Board / State Town and Country Planning Board would be
constituted under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 (Act 35
of 1972).
Till the time of constitution of the aforementioned Board, the State Planning Commission will
continue to deliver and be further strengthened/ capacitated to undertake above mentioned
responsibilities and roles. SPC divisions of Land Use, Industries, Power and Transport, Agriculture
Policy and Planning, District Planning and Rural Development, Education and Employment,
Healthcare and Social welfare will continue to plan, review, evaluate, implement, research
etc. in their respective sectors.
Specific focus on the SPC divisions of plan coordination and the GIS cell will be given for
capacity building. The Directorate of Town and Country Planning (Department of Housing and
Urban Development) and the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (Department of Information
and Technology with its web-GIS platform ‘TNGIS’) will support as the technical and advisory
arm of the SPC and in future the Board.
10.2 Regional and Sub Regional Plans
For each Planning Region in the state as defined in this policy or State Spatial Strategy Plan
and notified by the Board, the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (Department of

P a g e | 28
Housing and Urban Development) will be responsible for (a) preparing, implementing and
monitoring the Regional and Sub Regional Plans for each of these regions (b) coordinating
inter-sectoral interactions and priorities at regional level, (c) identifying Development Priority
Zones, Preservation and Conservation Zones, Rural and Agricultural Zones, and Transitions
Zones, within the region (d) formulating region specific Development Control Guidelines and
Building Regulations (e) evaluating, approving, monitoring and reviewing the preparation and
implementation settlement level plans within its jurisdiction (f) preparing settlement level plans
for select areas on case to case basis.
The Directorate of Town and Country Planning will undertake all necessary activities through
its Regional Planning Offices or would set up Regional Planning Authority under the provisions
of Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 (Act 35 of 1972).
In each Regional Planning Office, The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (Department of
Information and Technology) will setup a cell acting as the technical arm for integrating the
web-GIS platform ‘TNGIS’.
10.3 Settlement Level Land Use Plans
For each settlement within the Development Priority Zones and/or the Local Planning Areas
notified by the Board, the Local Planning Authority set up by Directorate of Town and Country
Planning (Department of Housing and Urban Development) under the provisions of Tamil Nadu
Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 (Act 35 of 1972) will be responsible for (a) preparing,
implementing and monitoring the Local Area Plans for respective jurisdictions (b) coordinating
inter-sectoral interactions and priorities at settlement level, (c) formulating settlement specific
Development Control Guidelines and Building Regulations (if necessary) (d) preparing Local
Area/ Detailed Development Plans and Infrastructure and city investment Plans within
settlements.
For settlements outside the Development Priority Zones or notified Local Planning Areas, the
Master Plans and/or Gram Panchayat Development Plans will be prepared either by the
Regional Planning Authority or Regional Planning Office (Directorate of Town and Country
Planning) or New Town Development Authority (set up under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Town
and Country Planning Act of 1971 (Act 35 of 1972)).
For all areas falling within the jurisdiction of Forest Department, the Forest Management and
Conservation plan or other relevant plans will be prepared by the forest department.
10.4 Formulation, Implementation and Review of Plans
For a more robust formulation, implementation, and review of plans, involvement of more than
one individual agency or department will be ensured as follows:
Plan Hierarchy
Nodal Department / Agency
Formulation Approval Implementation
Monitoring and
Evaluation
State Spatial
Strategy Plan
SPC + DTCP or
Board + DTCP
State Level
Steering
Committee /
Board
RPOs / RPAs/ Sectoral
Departments
Steering Committee
(Annexure 4)
Regional and
Sub-Regional
Plan
RPOs / RPAs SPC + DTCP or
Board + DTCP
RPOs / RPAs/ Sectoral
Departments
Steering Committee/
Board/ Independent
Auditor / Social Audit

P a g e | 29
Plan Hierarchy
Nodal Department / Agency
Formulation Approval Implementation
Monitoring and
Evaluation
Master Plan for
Development
Priority Zones
(Local
Planning Area)
LPAs RPOs / RPAs /
H&UD /
Industries /
RD&PR
LPAs / ULBs / Gram
Panchayats / H&UD /
MAWS / RD&PR /
Industries / PWD and
other sectoral
departments
District Administration /
RPOs / RPAs /
Independent Auditor /
Social Audit
Master Plan for
Rurban Areas
NTDA / LPAs /
RPOs / RPAs
RPOs / RPAs /
RD&PR
LPAs / ULBs / Gram
Panchayats / RD&PR /
H&UD / DRDA
RPOs / RPAs/
Social Audit
Gram
Panchayat
Development
Plan
NTDA / LPAs /
RPOs / RPAs
RPOs / RPAs /
RD&PR
LPAs / Gram Panchayats
/ RD&PR / DRDA and
other sectoral
departments
RPOs / RPAs/
Social Audit
Master Plan for
Preservation
and
Conservation
Areas
E&F for Forest
areas
RPOs / RPAs
for non-forest
areas
E&F / MoEFCC
RPOs / RPAs
E&F/ JFM/ RD&PR/ DRDA/
H&UD/ MAWS/ ULBs/
Gram Panchayats /other
sectoral departments
RPOs / RPAs/
Social Audit
Master Plan for
Transition and
Buffer Zones
E&F for Forest
areas
LPAs /RPOs /
RPAs for non-
forest areas
E&F / MoEFCC
RPOs / RPAs
E&F/ JFM/ RD&PR/ DRDA/
H&UD/ MAWS/ ULBs/
Gram Panchayats / PWD
and other sectoral
departments
RPOs / RPAs/
Social Audit
Detailed
Development
Plans within
Master Plans
LPAs /
Sectoral
Departments
LPAs ULBs / Gram Panchayats
and other sectoral
departments
LPAs / Independent
Auditor / Social Audit
10.4.1 Monitoring and Evaluation of Plans
All plans will be prepared on Open Geospatial Standard web-friendly GIS platform for easy
monitoring of projects. The plans will be integrated with the State Spatial Data Infrastructure
(TN GIS) for regular monitoring and evaluation by the Board or State Planning Commission as
well as Regional Planning Authorities or Offices of Directorate of Town and Country Planning.
Respective sectoral departments will be provided with access to view the plans. Field level
verifications will be conducted as and when necessary.
In addition to the concurrent evaluation undertaken by the hierarchical spatial framework, the
impact evaluation for plans will be undertaken every 5 years through social audit and/or
independent external evaluator/agency.
10.4.2 Spatial Budgeting
Spatial budgeting in a GIS platform will enable plan implementation and easier monitoring.
Progress will be monitored on quarterly, half yearly and annual basis synchronizing with the
fiscal and physical budget over space. The synchronisation of fiscal budget with spatial
priorities will be undertaken by following agencies:

Draft TN State Land Use Planning Policy.pdf

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