6.25% of land acquired by PCNTDA to be returned to owners with 2 FSI
As per the decision, farmers who have already received compensation for the land acquired from them between 1972 and 1983 will have to pay for the compensated land with an interest rate as decided by the collector’s office
The state government on Monday approved the decision to return 6.25% of the land to the original landowners acquired by the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) since its inception on March 14, 1972 to December 31, 1983 with a pre-approved floor space index (FSI) of 2, officials said.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Eknath Shinde. Accordingly, 6.25% of the developed land will be returned to the original landowners in the same village in which the land was acquired. If sufficient land is not available in the same village, land in another village will be given as per availability.
As per the decision, farmers who have already received compensation for the land acquired from them between 1972 and 1983 will have to pay for the compensated land with an interest rate as decided by the collector’s office. The amount has to be paid from the date the compensation was received till the date of possession of 6.25% of the land by the authority.
The process will be immediately implemented under the Maharashtra Regional Planning and Town Planning Act, 1966. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has been following up on the issue, considering demand from the citizens of Pimpri-Chinchwad. While returning the land, an FSI of 2 has been sanctioned for these plots free-of-charge. However, landowners will be provided compensation only if they withdraw all petitions and cases filed in court.
The authority will scrutinise the proposal and submit it to the government with feedback for transfer of the returned land to another person with prior government permission. However, the land cannot be transferred to another person without government approval and without paying the prescribed portion of the unearned amount to the authority.
The PCNTDA was established on March 14, 1972. The lands of local farmers in Chinchwad, Akurdi, Nigadi, Bhosari, Wakad, Thergaon, Rawet, Rahatni, Moshi and Chikhali were acquired at that time. The government implemented a scheme on March 3, 1990 to return 12.5% of the acquired land to the landowners as per terms and conditions. Later, the same scheme was implemented for landowners whose land was acquired after January 1, 1984. Following this, the farmers whose lands had been acquired before 1984 and had given possession of their land to the PCNTDA demanded that they get the benefit of the 12.5% land compensation scheme. DCM Pawar said that the old demand of the citizens is being fulfilled, and that the citizens who have given their land for the development of the city will benefit from this decision.
