Centre amends guidelines for transfer of salt lands

The Centre on Monday modified the guidelines for transfer of government-owned salt lands, providing for online auction under which the private sector can participate in case there are no takers from CPSEs, or states at the applicable rates.

As per the revised guidelines, the land can be allocated for welfare measures, such as slum re-development, affordable housing and PM-Awas Yojana, and for the purpose of schools and colleges, lands can be transferred to CPSEs (central public sector enterprises), states and their enterprises at 25 per cent of the circle rate.

These norms were issued in supersession of the internal policy guidelines-2012, after the approval of the Cabinet.

"Online auction with the participation of private parties may be held in case CPSEs, state governments or their PSEs are not willing to take such lands at the applicable rates," the guideline said.

The reserve price for such land parcel will be fixed through an approved valuer with reference to the circle rate after taking into account any physical constraints in developing such land.

About 60,000 acres of salt land are there in different states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

Highest tract of such land is there in Andhra Pradesh (20,716 acres), followed by Tamil Nadu (17,095 acres) and Maharashtra (12,662 acres).

The Salt Commissioner's Office, headquartered in Jaipur, is under the administrative control of the DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade). Its functions include promotion of technological development, custody and superintendence of departmental salt lands and other assets.

Further, the guidelines said that for ports and its related activities, and industrial purposes, SCO lands may be transferred to CPSEs, states and their entities at 50 per cent of the circle rate.

Similarly, for public infrastructure and utilities such as roads, highways, bridges, sewage treatment plants, and transmission lines, these lands can be transferred at 10 per cent of the guideline value/circle rate.

"In those cases where CPSEs, state governments and their PSEs are willing to pay on the above terms for SCO land parcels that are encumbered due to ongoing litigation, encroachment or other types of disputes, a further discount of 20 per cent on the applicable concessional rates, shall be considered, for transfer of such land," it added.

It also said that the allottee state governments shall not transfer ownership of this concessional land to any other entity in future even for the same purpose.

"However, states/state PSEs are allowed to sub-lease plots to the beneficiaries in the case of slum redevelopment projects, EWS (Economically Weaker Section) housing projects and industrial plots, etc," it added.

As part of the general terms and conditions for transfer of these lands, the guidelines stated that the request for the transfer would be made to the DPIIT Secretary.

"As at present, the competent authority for transfer of SCO land will be the Minister in-charge of Commerce and Industry. However, land under Mumbai and its Suburbs will continue to be transferred only with the approval of the Cabinet," it said.