**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 2047 in the Lok Sabha, addressed to the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, concerning the implementation of the Land Pooling Policy. The document outlines the Government's approach to land acquisition, urban planning, and the use of technology and capacity building in these areas. It also mentions TOD policy issued in 2017. The question was slated to be answered on December 11, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Land Pooling Policy and Urban Planning:**
* Urban Planning, including peri-urban development and Land Pooling Schemes, falls under the responsibility of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/Urban Development Authorities.
* The Government of India supports states through schematic interventions, advisories, and financial and technical support.
* States are incentivized through the ‘Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment' (SSASCI) to adopt land-use efficiency, sustainable development, affordability, and revenue generation strategies.
* Town Planning Schemes (TPS), Land Pooling Schemes (LPS), Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Transferable Development Rights (TDR) are supported through the scheme.
* **Implementation in Madhya Pradesh:**
* 6 TPS/LPS under SSASCI 2023-24 and 5 TPS/ LPS under SSASCI 2024-25 have been notified and are at various stages of implementation in the State of Madhya Pradesh.
* Participation in TPS/LPS is voluntary, involving land-owners surrendering/contributing land for reconstitution and development.
* Madhya Pradesh has prepared 29 Town Development Schemes (TDS) under land pooling provisions, with 2 TDS approved within the planning area of Dewas.
* **Transit Oriented Development (TOD):**
* The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) issued a TOD Policy in 2017 to support TOD implementation.
* Under SSASCI, 25 corridors have been identified in six States during 2023-2024, and 3 corridors have been identified in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh during 2024-25.
* **National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM):**
* The National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM) is currently in a pilot phase.
* The potential role of NUDM in enabling a uniform Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for ULBs is under deliberation.
* **Capacity Building and Training:**
* MoHUA has designated four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Urban Planning and Design and six AMRUT Funded Centres of Capacity Building in Urban Planning.
* CoEs and AMRUT Funded Centres have conducted multiple capacity building programs, training personnel in urban planning.
* The Urban Renaissance Tech Programme has been launched to create a pool of “Certified Urban Managers.”
* Training programs on the use of GIS technology in Master Plan formulation have been conducted for State/ULB officials under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0.
* **Guidelines and Documents Published by MoHUA:**
* Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014
* Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Urban Flooding
* River Centric Urban Planning Guidelines in 2021
* Guidance Document on Creation of Rain Water Harvesting Parks
* Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy
**Impact Analysis**
**Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) / Urban Development Authorities**
*Impact:* Responsible for implementing urban planning schemes, including land pooling and peri-urban development.
*Action Required:* Utilize government support and advisories to enhance urban planning and development.
**State Governments (Including Madhya Pradesh)**
*Impact:* Responsible for urban planning and development, with the support of the Central Government through various schemes.
*Action Required:* Implement land pooling schemes, leverage SSASCI for urban planning reforms, and follow guidelines provided by MoHUA.
**Urban Planners and Designers**
*Impact:* Involved in capacity building programs to enhance skills in urban planning and design.
*Action Required:* Participate in training programs and utilize guidelines for effective urban development.
**Landowners**
*Impact:* Involved in land pooling schemes, contributing/surrendering land for reconstitution and development.
*Action Required:* Voluntarily participate in land pooling schemes as per the approved guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA): Central ministry responsible for urban development, land pooling policy, and related initiatives.
Land Pooling Policy: A policy to address land acquisition and fair compensation, and manage urban development.
Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SSASCI): A scheme incentivizing states for urban planning reforms.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD): A planning approach to integrate land use and transportation, promoted by MoHUA.
Madhya Pradesh: A state where the implementation of the Land Pooling Policy and other schemes are being specifically addressed.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2047
TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 11, 2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF LAND POOLING POLICY
NO. 2047. SHRI ANOOP PRADHAN VALMIKI:
SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:
SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:
SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:
SHRI MAHENDRA SINGH SOLANKY:
SMT. KRITI DEVI DEBBARMAN:
SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:
SHRI BIBHU PRASAD TARAI:
Will the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs be pleased to state:
(a) the manner in which the Government is addressing implementation
and legal challenges in the Land Pooling Policy to ensure timely land
acquisition and fair compensation across the country including
Madhya Pradesh, particularly Dewas-Shahpur;
(b) the details of the policy measures being implemented to manage the
growth and unplanned development in peri-urban areas and to ensure
timely provision of basic civic infrastructure, particularly for Dewas-
Shahpur Scheduled Tribes region;
(c) whether guidelines have been finalised for mandatory adoption of
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Transferable Development
Rights (TDR) norms by Metropolitan Planning Committees and if so,
the details thereof along with the mechanisms proposed for their
enforcement;
(d) the manner in which the National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM)
framework is being leveraged to develop unified GIS-based Digital
Master Plans for million-plus cities along with the expected timeline
for public access;
e) the number of urban planners and designers certified annually during
the last five years, State and institution-wise; and
(f) the steps taken to mainstream urban planning, promote TOD, publish
annual certification statistics and monitor State compliance
including capacity-building initiatives for urban governance
frameworks?
…2/--2-
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)
(a) to (c): As per the 12th Schedule of Indian Constitution, Urban Planning
including Peri-urban area development, Town Planning Schemes and Land
Pooling Schemes are the responsibilities of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/
Urban Development Authorities. Government of India supplements the
efforts of the States, including of Madhya Pradesh, through schematic
interventions/ advisories and provides financial and technical support.
In order to support the planned development and growth in urban and
peri-urban areas including the Scheduled Tribes regions falling under
those, the Government of India incentivizes the States for urban planning
reforms through the ‘Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital
Investment’ (SSASCI). The scheme supports land-use efficiency,
sustainable development, affordability, and revenue generation through
urban planning tools including Town Planning Schemes (TPS), Land Pooling
Schemes (LPS), Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Transferable
Development Rights (TDR).
6 TPS/ LPS under SSASCI 2023-24 and 5 TPS/ LPS under SSASCI 2024-
25 have been notified and are at various stages of implementation in the
State of Madhya Pradesh. Under TPS/ LPS, participation is voluntary.
Instead of compulsory land acquisition, land-owners surrender/ contribute
a portion of their land for reconstitution and development as per the
approved scheme.
As informed by the State of Madhya Pradesh, total 29 Town
Development Schemes (TDS) have been prepared by the State under land
pooling provisions, out of which 2 TDS are approved within planning area
of Dewas.
For supporting the TOD implementation, Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs (MoHUA) issued TOD Policy in the year 2017. Further, under
SSASCI, 25 corridors have been identified in six States namely Tamil Nadu,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh during
2023-2024, and 3 corridors have been identified in Maharashtra and Uttar
Pradesh during 2024-25.
(d): The National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM) is in pilot phase. The
contours of the Mission, including its potential role in enabling a uniform
Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for ULBs, are currently
under deliberation.
…3/--3-
(e) to (f): MoHUA has designated four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Urban
Planning and Design (SPA New Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, CEPT University and
NIT Calicut) and six Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) Funded Centres of Capacity Building in Urban
Planning (GNDU Amritsar, IIT Roorkee, MNIT Jaipur, SPA Bhopal, SPA
Vijayawada and SVNIT Surat), which have been conducting capacity
building programs, including for urban planners. CoEs have undertaken
around 49 capacity building programs wherein more than 1,660 personnel
have been trained. AMRUT Funded Centres have undertaken around 59
capacity building programs wherein more than 3,850 personnel have been
trained. MoHUA, in collaboration with CoEs has also launched the Urban
Renaissance Tech Programme for Urban Managers to create a national
pool of “Certified Urban Managers” with techno-managerial skills in urban
planning, infrastructure, finance and climate resilience.
Under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, 81 training programs have been
conducted on use of GIS technology in formulation of Master Plan through
which around 3,000 State/ ULB officials have been trained.
In order to improve and mainstream urban planning, promote TOD,
and strengthen capacity and compliance, MoHUA has published the
following documents/ advisory guidelines:
i. Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation
(URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014:
https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/URDPFI%20Guidelines%20Vol
%20I(2).pdf
ii. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Urban Flooding
https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/SOP%20Urban%20flooding_5
%20May%202017.pdf
iii. River Centric Urban Planning Guidelines in 2021 to enable cities in the
development of conjunctive water management approaches including
nature-based
solution
https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/RCUP%20Guidelines.pdf
iv. Guidance Document on Creation of Rain Water Harvesting Parks
https://mohua.gov.in/pdf/6566e1048ab41guidance-document-on-rainwater-
harvesting-parks-final.pdf
v. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy
https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/National%20Transit%20Orient
ed%20Development%20(TOD)%20Policy.pdf
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