Maharashtra government to revise ready reckoner rates in next fiscal 

The state govt is likely to revise and raise the ready reckoner rate (RRR) the state's benchmark for property valuation — in the financial year 2025-26. Sources hinted at a possible upward revision following discussions between the finance and revenue departments earlier this week, senior revenue officials told TOI on Friday. The proposed revision comes after rates remained unchanged for three years and it aimed to bolster the state exchequer following the launch of several welfare schemes — including the Ladki Bahin Yojana and its proposed subsidy increase to be implemented in April. Officials attending recent departmental meetings suggested implementing GIS mapping for more accurate valuations and also taking a cue from similar exercises in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The revenue target has also been revised from Rs55,000 crore in the current fiscal to Rs66,000 crore in fiscal 2025-26, sources said, adding, "The revenue target of Rs55,000 cr for the current fiscal may undergo revision to Rs60,000 cr. Developers have opposed the increase in RRR and said it would affect market buoyancy by making property more expensive. Associations have been requesting that RRR not be hiked since it would come at a time when the realty sector is buoyant. Already a 1% metro cess on stamp duty is being collected. 

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Prime minister to distribute 65 Lakh SVAMITVA property card on January 18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday distribute more than 65 lakh property cards under the SVAMITVA Scheme, the Panchayati Raj Ministry said. According to senior officials of the ministry, beneficiaries from more than 50,000 villages in 10 states -- Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal PradeshMadhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh and two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh -- will receive the cards. SVAMITVA, a scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, provides a 'Record of Rights' to village household owners with the issuance of legal ownership cards to the property owners by mapping land parcels using drone technology. The prime minister will preside over the event through videoconferencing, where he will interact with selected beneficiaries and also deliver a nationwide address, the ministry said in a statement. The scheme aims to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India. The demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas would be done by the use of drone technology with the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Department, State Panchayati Raj Department, and Survey of India. 
The outcome would include creating and updating the 'Record of Rights' in the revenue registers and issuance of property cards to the owners. So far, 31 states and Union Territories have joined the scheme. Of these, Sikkim, Telangana and Tamil Nadu had participated only in the pilot phase. West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, and Meghalaya have not joined the scheme.
 

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Madras HC forms SIT to probe illegal sand mining in Kovai

Madras high court has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) comprising two IPS officers to probe the illegal sand mining by brick kilns operating near the reserve forests of Coimbatore. A special division bench appointed G Nagajothi, superintendent of police, State Crime Records Bureau, Chennai, and F Shashank Sai, SP, Organised Crime Intelligence Unit as members of SIT. The court directed the team to begin its investigation into the cases already registered by police and to register fresh cases if it came across a larger conspiracy that resulted in the creation of massive trenches near the forest areas, putting wild animals in danger. The court further directed the district authorities to obliterate illegal bridges and roads put up by the illegal miners and restore all water bodies in the area to their original form.
 

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Survey for land acquisition for Coimbatore metro project to begin soon

The survey for land acquisition for the Coimbatore Metro Rail project will commence shortly, said Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran after a coordination meeting held on Monday with representatives from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the National Highways Department, TNEB, the Local Planning Authority, and the Survey Department. The meeting focused on land acquisition, station locations, and route alignment. CMRL plans to establish its project office within the corporation office campus. Officials are also considering a suitable location on Dr Nanjappa Road. The commissioner said they requested CMRL officials be deputed for the project in Coimbatore. This move will ensure better coordination between deparments. The corporation has asked CMRL to bear the cost of the survey for land acquisition. "CMRL will deposit the required amount with the corporation. Once the funds are received, we will conduct the survey. The survey will involve mapping the land, identifying utilities, and planning for utility relocation. After the survey, officials will determine the land required for the project. CMRL officials inspected the Gandhipuram and Ukkadam bus stands on Monday. The inspection covered areas along the proposed metro rail route. CMRL plans to acquire land along Avinashi Road and the Coimbatore-Sathyamangalam Road in March. This acquisition is part of the first phase of the metro rail project. The metro rail track in this phase will cover a total length of 34.8km. The first phase includes two corridors. Corridor-I will connect Ukkadam Bus Stand to Neelambur Integrated Station via the airport, covering 20.4km. Corridor-II will link Coimbatore Railway Junction to Valiyampalayam Pirivu, spanning 14.4km.
 

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Over 100 maps forged to legalize coast properties in Mumbai SIT

A special investigation team (SIT) formed following a Bombay high court order has said it has unearthed a land scam involving large-scale tampering of property records to convert Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and No Development Zone (NDZ) lands into developable plots along the Mumbai coastline. Four people including two former govt employees were arrested last week for the scam linked to at least 102 property maps along the coast. In all, 18 govt staff from BMC and land records section have been summoned for questioning. The scam allegedly involves estate agents, govt staff and contractors who altered land records in Marve, Madh Island, Versova and other ecologically sensitive spots. The manipulation was first flagged by a farmer from Erangal in Malad, Vaibhav Thakur, who owns ancestral farm land. He had an FIR registered at Goregaon police station in 2021 against illegal constructions on his plot and adjoining lands. Thakur found that govt records had been forged to classify CRZ and NDZ plots as developable zones. However, authorities including BMC and Goregaon police failed to make much headway. Subsequently, deputy superintendent of land records Nitin Salunkhe lodged another FIR in 2021. He said maps and documents were forged between 2012 and 2020 to regularise illegal constructions in eco-sensitive zones. They were booked for forging records in connivance with officers from BMC and the Land Records Department. "Illegal construction on CRZ and NDZ lands have severely impacted ecological balance and caused huge revenue loss. A total of 18 officials from BMC and Land Records election process investigations were delayed,'' said a senior police official.

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Tamil Nadu standardizes fee for self certification of residential buildings

 Tamil Nadu has introduced a standardised fee structure for self-certification of residential buildings, addressing long-standing concerns about inconsistent charges across administrative zones. This follows introduction of a self-certification plan for smaller residential projects by the govt. In July, the govt unveiled a self-certification-based building plan approval system aimed at reducing procedural hurdles for constructing smaller residential buildings. This applies to single or double-story residential buildings with a built-up area of up to 3,500 sq ft on plots not exceeding 2,500 sq ft. Department issued a Govt Order (GO) rationalising building plan approval fees under a single category for various types of developments. The new framework classifies buildings in village panchayats into four groups based on their location and proximity to urban areas. For residential buildings in the self-certification category, peri-urban villages within CMDA limits, numbering 78, are charged 27 per sq ft. Peri-urban village panchayats, comprising 612 villages, have a rate of 25 per sq ft. Village panchayats within CMDA limits, which total 44, are charged 22 per sq ft. The remaining 11,791 village panchayats, forming the largest group, have a rate of 15 per sq ft. For commercial buildings, it's 32, 30, 26 and 18 per sq ft for the respective categories and for industrial buildings it's 43, 40, 35 and 24 per sq ft. Employment and Conditions of Work) Act, 1982, and the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Constrction Workers Welfare Scheme. The govt has also asked executive authority of village panchayats to fix layout approval fees through resolutions passed, aimed at bringing clarity and uniformity to the building permit process. For residential buildings in the self-certification category, peri-urban villages within CMDA limits, numbering 78, are charged 27 per sq ft. Peri-urban village panchayats, comprising 612 villages,  have a rate of 25 per sq ft. Village panchayats within CMDA limits, which total 44, are charged 22 per sq ft. The remaining 11,791 village panchayats, forming the largest group, have a rate of 15 per sq ft. Now this fee under single head can help residents apply for building permission and get instant approval," S Ramprabhu, chairman, DTCP committee, Builders Association of India.
 

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