Mumbai, Feb 6 (PTI) Non-agricultural permission will no longer be required for using industrial land in Maharashtra as the state government plans to amend the relevant law to implement this change, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said.

The decision to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code has been taken as part of the country's Ease of Doing Business initiative, led by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, the minister said on Wednesday.

Previously, owners needed deemed non-agricultural (NA) status for industrial use of their land parcels. However, the government observed the time required for this process was almost the same as the formal NA conversion, leading to the decision to remove the requirement, Bawankule noted.

"The removal of this requirement would simplify procedures for industries. This is a significant step towards making land acquisition and utilisation easier for businesses. The state government is committed to promoting investment by reducing unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles," he said.

Since the legal amendments will take some time, the government has clarified that until the changes come into effect, industrial land users will not need to obtain NA permission. Instead, they must secure development permission from the relevant planning authority or get their construction plans approved, the minister said.

"Once this is done, they should register the approval with the local revenue officer (known as talathi in the state), who will be responsible for updating the records as soon as possible," he said.

Bawankule also said the deadline for converting Class 2 land (leasehold) to Class 1 (freehold) has been extended by one year, providing landowners with additional time to complete the necessary formalities.

Class 2 occupancy is a conditional holding where land is given to individuals for various reasons, including as rewards, and requires prior permission of the competent authority for any transfers.

On the other hand, Class 1 lands are freely transferable and not subjected to any permission of the competent authority. PTI ND RSY GK

Removal of non-agricultural permission for industrial land use streamlines approvals, requiring development permission and local registration. Removal of the requirement for non-agricultural permission for industrial land use will be implemented by amending the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code; pending enactment, industrial users must obtain development permission or approved construction plans and register those approvals with the local revenue officer for record updation.