Not a single inch of land taken without free will of farmers: Haryana govt on e-Bhoomi policy

Chandigarh, Aug 22 (PTI) The Haryana government on Friday said that under its e-Bhoomi policy, not a single inch of land has been taken without the free will of farmers.

The government stressed that the policy is not only transparent but also a boon for farmers who wish to sell land voluntarily at market rates for public development projects.

So far, 1,850 acres of land has been offered by farmers voluntarily through the portal, an official statement said.

"Encouraged by this response, the government has invited fresh proposals for 35,500 acres required for six new projects. The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2025," it said.

The e-Bhoomi (Purchase of Land Voluntarily offered to Government for Development Projects) Policy was first notified in 2017 and revised on July 9, 2025.

"It replaces the practice of compulsory land acquisition under the 2013 Central Act," the government statement said.

It said the cornerstones of the e-Bhoomi policy are transparency and voluntary participation.

"Unlike the old system, the e-Bhoomi policy ensures that farmers hold the final decision. They can choose to sell their land to the government at market value, pool their land in return for developed plots, or even use the buy-back option, which allows them to resell plots to Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation after three years at prevailing market rates." The statement explained that this is a mutual agreement, not an imposition. "This is perhaps the first time that farmers are true partners in shaping development projects," it said.

The system also prohibits the purchase of land for private colonisers, developers or industries, it added.

"Land is accepted only for public purposes, whether for state-level infrastructure or Central government projects. This provision directly addresses farmers' long-standing grievances that their land was being diverted for private profit," the statement said.

To ease participation, the government has introduced land aggregators, who assist farmers in uploading land details on the portal free of cost. So far, 353 aggregators have been registered. Farmers also have the freedom to independently list their land and quote prices.

"This policy has freed farmers from the nightmare of forced acquisition. Today, farmers can decide what to do with their land, and they are doing so in a transparent, dignified way. By making farmers stakeholders, Haryana has attempted to set a new benchmark in land policy," it said. PTI SUN RUK RUK