GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government is considering a proposal to remove the mandatory requirement for obtaining a non-agriculture (NA) certificate from the revenue department for projects—be it residential, commercial, mixed-use, or industrial—within town planning (TP) scheme areas.
In a high-level meeting held on Thursday in Gandhinagar with officials from the government of India and secretaries of all state departments, the Gujarat government indicated to the Union government that it would likely repeal the clause requiring NA permission in areas governed by draft and finalized TP schemes. This certificate, issued by collectorates and district development offices, has been cited as a significant hindrance causing project delays, with some applicants reportedly waiting over two years for approval.
A senior government source stated, “The Gujarat government assured the GoI that it is likely to deregulate the requirement of NA certification in areas covered under town planning schemes, applying to both draft and finalized schemes.”
According to government sources, numerous critical projects—ranging from industrial proposals to real estate developments, hospitals, and commercial complexes—have faced severe delays in NA application processing. “These delays contribute to rising project costs and adversely affect overall development within the state,” the sources added.
Additionally, the compulsion to secure an NA certificate has been linked to corruption within the district administration. A recent illustration includes the arrest of former Surendranagar district collector Rajendrakumar Patel and others connected to a bribery scheme aimed at expediting land-use change applications. Following this arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, the state government suspended the former collector.
