Maharashtra eases norms for setting up industries on agricultural land

MUMBAI: In its bid to make it more easy for setting up industries in the state, the Maharashtra government has simplified norms for using agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.

The state government has now authorised local civic authorities to decide on converting agicultural land into non-agricultural (NA) plots.

The move now means that those planning to set up an industry can approach a tehsildar and start work after getting the permission. This is a huge relief for entrepreneurs in the state as earlier this involved taking anywhere between 22 and 32 permissions (NOCs) from different authorities before one could start work.

Similarly , the state has also simplified norms for construction on land already reserved under the development plan of the local authority. In such cases, an application has to be made to a committee headed by the additional collector of the district, who will take a call on the application subject to the reservation of plot.

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said the committee headed by the district collector will take a decision after studying whether the land has been reserved for a road widening project, highways, installing high tension lines, dams and catchment areas. The collector will then take a decision and inform the applicant within 30 days. A government resolution to this effect was issued on Wednesday, said Khadse.