Curation Team
NAGPUR: The Maharashtra govt has extended its special amnesty scheme for nazul land leases by another year. This decision followed a strong pitch by Nagpur Central MLA Pravin Datke, who highlighted its overwhelming public response and good revenue generation.
The extension was approved in a meeting chaired by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule at the state legislature on Thursday. Launched on March 16, 2024, the scheme allows residents in Nagpur and Amravati divisions to convert nazul land leases into permanent Class-1 ownership rights by paying just 2% of the prevailing market rate — a major reduction from the earlier 5%.
“The scheme was a direct result of a long-standing demand I raised in 2024 as a Legislative Council member. It has given genuine relief to common citizens holding nazul plots for residential use,” Datke said. “I thank CM Devendra Fadnavis and Bawankule for recognising the need to extend the scheme.”
Official figures shared in the meeting reveal the financial rationale behind the extension. Between 2019 and 2024, when the premium rate stood at 5%, the state earned ₹9 crore from lease conversions. But under the revised 2% rate, revenue skyrocketed to ₹24.65 crore in just one year. “This scheme has proven both citizen-friendly and revenue-efficient,” Datke pointed out during the meeting.
The special drive, currently in force only for nazul lands leased for residential use in Nagpur and Amravati divisions, was originally set to end on July 31. The extension will ensure more leaseholders can benefit from the low-rate conversion without bureaucratic hurdles. “The response from citizens has been overwhelming, and the govt has seen a jump in earnings. This is a classic win-win,” said a senior official present at the meeting, which included district collectors, divisional commissioners, and revenue officers.
