Chandigarh, August 22 – Reiterating its commitment to transparency, the Haryana government has clarified that not even an inch of land has been acquired against the will of the farmers under the e-Land Policy. The government stressed that the policy is not only transparent but also a boon for those farmers who voluntarily want to sell their land at market rates for public development projects.
Voluntarily want to sell their land at market rates for projects
Giving more information in this regard, a government spokesperson said that the e-Land (Policy for Voluntary Provision of Land for Government Development Projects) was first notified in the year 2017 and was amended on July 9, 2025. It abolished the controversial practice of compulsory land acquisition under the Central Act of 2013.
In the previous system, farmers often felt excluded whereas the current policy is completely based on farmer consent. The spokesperson said that the e-Bhoomi policy is based on transparency and voluntary participation.
He said that unlike the old system, the e-Bhoomi policy gives the farmers the final say. If farmers want, they can sell their land to the government at market price, get developed land through land pooling or use the boycott option under which they can resell the land to the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) at the prevailing rates after three years. This is a mutual consent, not an imposition. Perhaps for the first time, farmers have become true partners in the construction of development projects.
He clarified that under this system, land acquisition by private colonizers, developers or industries is not allowed. Land is accepted only for public purposes, be it state-level infrastructure or central government projects. This provision addresses a long-standing grievance of farmers that their land was being used for private gain.
To facilitate farmer participation, the government has introduced the system of land aggregators, which help farmers upload land details on the portal free of cost. So far, 353 aggregators have been registered. Farmers can also independently enter the details and value of their land on the portal. According to government data, farmers have voluntarily made 1850 acres of land available on the portal so far.
Encouraged by this active response, the government has invited fresh proposals for 35,500 acres of land for 6 new projects. The deadline for sending the proposal is August 31, 2025 and a large number of farmers are getting their consent across the state. Today, farmers themselves are taking the decision on what to do with their land, and they are taking this decision in a transparent and respectful manner. The spokesperson said that observers believe that the e-Bhoomi model in India is unique as it combines fair market valuation and voluntary participation. This ensures that the development does not affect the rights of farmers. By making farmers participants instead of victims, Haryana has tried to set a new standard in land policy.