Confederation of Indian Industry Proposes Comprehensive Framework for Industrial Land Governance in India
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed a comprehensive framework to reform industrial land governance in India, including the creation of a "GST-like" National Industrial Land Council (NILC), according to its Land Mission report on land acquisition and allotment.
Key Components of the Proposed Framework
- Centralised Decision-Making and Standard-Setting: NILC, housed in a Central Ministry such as DPIIT, will set national procedures, SLA/timeline mandates, uniform stamp duty guidance, and model leases, acting as a dispute arbitrator.
- State Implementation: Each state's SLA will be the "single body" for implementation, running the state's single window and estate operations.
- Fast-Track Tribunal/National Land Dispute Panel: A high-value disputes tribunal with a target to dispose of cases in six months.
Pain Points in the Current System
- Land Search: Inaccurate or outdated land banks, lack of real-time GIS data, limited information on utilities, zoning, and encumbrances.
- Applications: Multiple departmental touchpoints, fragmented digital portals, absence of standard timelines.
- Allotments: Delayed possession even after allotment, zoning mismatches discovered late, lack of pricing transparency.
- Change in Land Use Approvals: 6-18 months, while land acquisition under current laws can stretch 18-36 months due to "multi-stage statutory processes" and compensation disputes.
Recommendations to Fix Existing Pain Points
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Land Search:
- Unified GIS-based national industrial land bank, standardised data fields with weekly updates, pre-certified 'industrial-ready' parcels.
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Applications:
- Composite digital application through a single-window platform, assign case-owner-based resolution system, deemed approvals for non-sensitive clearances.
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Allotments:
- Time-bound handover within 15 days under defined SLAs; real-time land bank updates and geotagging; pre-disclosed FAR, buffer norms, and pricing formula.
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CLU:
- Exemptions within industrial corridors, uniform Development Control Regulations, and API-based digital approvals; pre-cleared industrial clusters with 'as-of-right' industrial use.
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Acquisition:
- Standardised SIA templates with a six-month outer limit, fast-track district cells, land pooling models, and a public GIS-linked dispute registry.
Benefits of the Proposed Framework
The proposed model will create a central, empowered body like NILC to end institutional fragmentation and create a central IT backbone for land governance, making industrial land transparent, predictable, and time-bound.