NATIONAL/ MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST, 2022 (GPN): The process of acquiring land can be difficult, especially in developing nations. This is also true for our country, where acquiring land remains a significant barrier that frequently causes delays in the successful completion of renewable energy projects. The agrarian nature of the Indian economy is a contributing factor to this difficulty. Land purchase in India is hindered by issues like the loss of livelihoods, the amount of compensation provided during the acquisition process, and socio-cultural norms of land ownership, which in turn contribute to the country’s sluggish infrastructure growth and economic expansion.

The key factors that lead to the delay in renewable projects are as follows:

Inefficiency in the maintenance of land records 

The factors that determine land ownership in India are government survey records, registered sale deeds, and property tax records. Due to these ambiguous property records, there have been ownership-related legal challenges that have impacted the renewable energy projects. The causes of the poorly maintained land records that frequently result in legal conflicts regarding land ownership include gaps in the legal system and inadequate administration of land records. Land records are kept by several departments at the district or village level and contain a variety of information, including property details and prior transactions. Data between departments is not promptly or appropriately updated. As a result, inaccuracies are frequently found in land records. When outdated data is dispersed among departments, accessing land records is a cumbersome task. For anyone to discover any ownership claims on a piece of property, they must sift through paperwork accumulated over years. Such convoluted procedures lead to inefficiency and delays.

Lack of a formal policy in certain key states

Rajasthan approximately contains 85,000 square kilometres of wasteland, the majority of which is made up of desert and arid areas. Jammu & Kashmir which has a wasteland area of around 75,000 sq km comes next, and is primarily made up of hills and has no grid connectivity. There are no explicit land allocation policies in place in most of the key states. By deploying suitable land allocation regulations, the central government should intervene and establish plans to exploit the ample land availability in these regions, in order to capitalise on the enormous opportunity for solar and wind. Only four states so far, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, have formulated suitable policies for government land allocation in terms of renewable projects, while the others still suffer on this account. 

Delay in government land allotment under Solar Park Scheme for ISTS projects

Prior to putting solar park projects up for auction, it’s crucial to finish the necessary land purchase requirements. There have been multiple instances in the past where the government has rushed to auction solar park projects before all the necessary land acquisition procedures were completed. This is where the issue arises, causing delays for developers because even after project allocation, the necessary infrastructure was not ready for them to begin developing the project. 

Lack of digitization of land records

Digital land records can reduce the likelihood of property conflicts, which will inevitably result in more open land records. The process will be made more contemporary by digitising land records. A recent study of 100 land parcels scattered over five villages and two tehsils revealed that the newly computerised land records accurately reflected land ownership. If the land titles are sufficiently clear, it will ultimately make many problems easier, from allowing the poor to borrow from the official banking system to reducing the need to acquire commercial land for infrastructure projects.

Obtaining environmental and local clearance from authorities 

There are several legal procedures that must be followed in order to gain access to the land for a solar project. Numerous environmental factors, including SEBI-monitored PACL assets, wildlife, legal title, ceiling limit, government land allotment, state rules on the sale of ancestral property, khatedari rights, and many others, control the land. Unfortunately, the ongoing conflict between land seekers and conservationists has remained a barrier in India up to this point.

Since land is a state affair, adequate coordination between state and central government entities is necessary, as well as the evaluation and publishing of tenders. The anticipated due dates should match the actual situation. A critical step toward streamlining and accelerating the land allocation process is the digitization of land records. It will significantly reduce the delay brought about by the legal obstacles. Also, in order to improve cooperation and speed-up the approvals and permissions process, fewer agencies should be involved.Ends