Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
G.O. (Ms.) No. 142, Extension of One-time Free House-site Patta Scheme, 2013
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department issued G.O. (Ms.) No. 142 on 23 May 2013, extending the one-time free house-site patta scheme from 1 April 2013 to 30 September 2013. The extension covers eligible people who built houses and were residing on government land before 1 June 2007, subject to the conditions in the earlier government orders.
What the government order does
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department's G.O. (Ms.) No. 142, dated 23 May 2013, extends the one-time special scheme for regularising residential occupation of government land and issuing free house-site pattas. The scheme, which had ended on 31 March 2013, was extended for another six months, from 1 April 2013 to 30 September 2013.
The extension was made after some District Collectors reported that the earlier period was not sufficient to implement the scheme. The document also refers to the announcement that two lakh house-site pattas would be issued during the 2013 to 2014 financial year.
Who may be affected
G.O. (Ms.) No. 142 concerns people who built houses and were residing on government land before 1 June 2007. Regularisation and patta issue remain subject to the conditions contained in G.O. (Ms.) No. 854, Revenue Department, dated 30 December 2006, and the later government orders listed in the document.
The scheme is relevant to:
- Residents seeking regularisation of a house built on government land.
- Property buyers checking whether an occupier received a valid patta under the special scheme.
- District Collectors and the Commissioner of Land Administration, who were directed to take the required action.
Conditions and process described
The Revenue Department records that the original scheme required supporting evidence of residence. A committee headed by the District Collector was to:
- Conduct a field inspection of the occupation.
- Obtain resolutions from the relevant local bodies.
- Confirm that the land was not required by the government.
- Regularise the occupation and issue a house-site patta where the conditions were met.
Earlier orders described in G.O. (Ms.) No. 142 removed the income ceiling for free assignment and increased the scheme limits to 4 cents in rural areas, 2.5 cents in municipal areas and 2 cents in corporation areas. The document also records that amounts previously paid as land cost could be refunded after proper examination.
Important court-related point
G.O. (Ms.) No. 142 records that the Madras High Court directed that an earlier reduction of the residence requirement from five years to three years should not be implemented until the related case was decided. The government stated that separate action was being taken to have that direction removed.
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 G.O. (Ms.) No. 142 itself grant me a house-site patta?
No. It extends the period for implementing the special scheme. A patta depends on satisfying the earlier conditions, field inspection, local body resolutions and confirmation that the land is not needed by the government.
What period did the scheme extension cover?
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department extended the scheme from 1 April 2013 to 30 September 2013.
What occupation cut-off date applies under this extension?
The extension covers eligible people who had built houses and were residing on government land before 1 June 2007, subject to the conditions in the earlier government orders.
Who was responsible for implementing the extension?
The Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Administration and all District Collectors were asked to take the required action.
