Hand Book on Land Administration, May 2023 (2022)
The Hand Book on Land Administration, dated May 2023, was issued by the Commissionerate of Land Administration and Anna Administrative Staff College, Chennai. It is official guidance, not a single numbered government order, and compiles procedures and reference materials for major land administration subjects. It particularly explains how government land controlled by the Revenue Department may be transferred or alienated for public purposes and when prior approval is required for entry upon government poramboke land.
Scope of the handbook
The Hand Book on Land Administration, dated May 2023, brings together administrative guidance across twelve subjects. Its contents include:
- Transfer and alienation of government land.
- Assignment, including house site assignment and special house site schemes.
- Exchange and lease of land.
- Settlement and transfer of registry.
- Eviction of encroachment and the Government Land Retrieval and Protection Fund.
- Land reforms, Bhoodan, urban land ceiling and urban land tax.
- Forest settlement and denotification.
- Legal views, registration procedures and layout approval procedures.
Many chapters include procedures, flow charts, checklists, model proposals, common mistakes, frequently asked questions, and annexed government orders, circulars or court orders.
Who may be affected
The guidance is relevant to Central Government departments, State Government departments, government undertakings, boards and local bodies seeking government land. It may also assist officials and professionals handling land assignment, leases, registry changes, registration, settlement, encroachment proceedings or layout approvals.
The Revenue Department controls and administers government land. Transfers and alienations under Revenue Standing Orders 23, 23A and 24 are limited to public purposes. The Revenue Department retains the right to resume land if it remains unused or if conditions are violated, and may allot it for another public purpose.
Key provisions on government land
- State Government land transferred to Central Government departments under Revenue Standing Order 23 requires payment for the land and any building. All such proposals must be sent to the Government. The land amount is generally its market value on the transfer date.
- Land required by the Railways or the National Highways Authority of India, in the name of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is dealt with by collecting the higher of market value or guideline value, together with subdivision fees and other applicable amounts.
- Transfers between State Government departments under Revenue Standing Order 23A are free of cost.
- Government land may be alienated under Revenue Standing Order 24 to government undertakings, boards, local bodies and other listed agencies for public purposes, schemes and projects.
- The Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai, Letter Number 1413381/2021, dated 13 May 2022, directs District Collectors not to grant entry permission for government poramboke land in specified urban and peripheral areas without prior approval from the Commissioner of Land Administration.
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
Does the handbook create a general approval process for buying private land?
The supplied text does not describe a general approval for private land purchases. Its listed subjects include transfer of registry, registration procedures and layout approval procedures, while the detailed transfer provisions provided concern government land used for public purposes.
Can one Tamil Nadu State Government department receive land from another without paying land cost?
Yes. Transfers between State Government departments under Revenue Standing Order 23A are made free of cost.
What happens if transferred government land is not used?
The Revenue Department reserves the right to resume land that remains unused or where transfer conditions are violated. It may then allot the land for another public purpose.
Can a District Collector permit entry upon government poramboke land in Chennai?
Not without prior approval from the Commissioner of Land Administration. Letter Number 1413381/2021, dated 13 May 2022, applies this restriction to the entire Chennai Revenue District and other specified urban and peripheral areas.
