The Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020
The Tamil Nadu Legislature enacted the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020, Tamil Nadu Act No. 11 of 2020, to protect agricultural lands in the Cauvery river basin region of Tamil Nadu. The Act received the Governor’s assent on 21 February 2020, was published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, and this text records its position as on 31 October 2023.
What the Act governs
The Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020 applies to the areas identified as the protected agricultural zone in its First Schedule. It defines agricultural land as all land in agricultural use, and gives agriculture a broad meaning covering crops, horticulture, beekeeping, sericulture, forestry, biofuel, fodder, fibre and raw materials for agricultural industries.
The Act requires the State Government to support sustainable agriculture, improve productivity, promote integrated farming and better cultivation methods, manage floodwater and agricultural inputs, and encourage agricultural and related industries, research and skills.
Restrictions affecting land and development
The Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020 directly affects owners, buyers, developers and businesses dealing with land inside the protected agricultural zone.
Key restrictions and exceptions include:
- No person may undertake a new project or new activity listed in the Second Schedule within the protected agricultural zone.
- Activities or projects already operating before the Act came into force are not affected by that prohibition.
- Infrastructure such as ports, pipelines, roads, telecommunications, electricity, water supply and other utilities within the zone is not affected by that prohibition.
- The supplied text does not reproduce the contents of either Schedule, so it does not identify the covered locations or list the prohibited new projects and activities.
Administration and agricultural development
The Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Authority is established to carry out the purposes of the Act, with its headquarters in Chennai. The Chief Minister is its chairperson, and its membership includes ministers, senior government officials, elected representatives, farmer representatives and specialists in agricultural science, horticulture, animal husbandry and zoology.
The Authority must meet at least twice each year. Its functions include:
- Recommending infrastructure for food security.
- Recommending policies for agriculture and related development.
- Supporting irrigation and floodwater management.
- Protecting agricultural land and strengthening the farming economy.
- Promoting water storage, farm ponds, check dams and rainwater harvesting.
- Encouraging efficient water use, including drip irrigation.
- Supporting integrated farming, green manure, soil test based fertiliser use, crop rotation, pulse cultivation on rice fallows and integrated pest management.
The Act also provides for district level committees, finance, audit, penalties, company offences, entry, search, seizure, confiscation, rule making and amendment of the Schedules.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Can I start a new industrial or development project on land in the protected agricultural zone?
A new project or activity listed in the Second Schedule cannot be undertaken within the protected agricultural zone. The supplied text does not include the Second Schedule, so the project must be checked against the full Schedule.
Does the Act stop a project that was already operating when it came into force?
No. The prohibition does not affect activities or projects that were already operating in the protected agricultural zone before the Act came into force.
Are roads, pipelines and utility works prohibited in the zone?
The prohibition does not affect infrastructure such as ports, pipelines, roads, telecommunications, electricity, water supply and other utilities within the protected agricultural zone.
How can I tell whether my land is inside the protected agricultural zone?
The protected agricultural zone consists of the areas specified in the First Schedule. The supplied text does not reproduce that Schedule, so it does not provide the location details needed to check a particular property.
