States and their policies

Only a few states have a stated policy on integrated townships. Gujarat: It has a comprehensive policy specifying the most probable locations for development of such townships. It covers six different types of townships (technology, education, medical/healthcare, tourism, logistics, and residential) and requires 80 per cent of the built-up area to be residential, including EWS housing. The state offers to provide access roads, bulk water supply and power.

Maharashtra: Mandates a minimum size of 100 acres for townships, and favours IT townships through preferential land use change, even on agricultural land. Its policy allows exemption from Mumbai tenancy and Agricultural Land Act, and offers 50 per cent waiver on stamp duty and no height restrictions, subject to an FSI of 1.

Rajasthan: It has variable minimum land limits according to cities and towns; it is 10 hectares for Jaipur, 6 hectares in other divisional headquarters and 4 hectares in other municipal towns and district headquarters. A sop: the state government helps acquire land for the developer if it already owns two-thirds of the total land of the project. Extra FAR is offered for energy conservation measures.

Punjab: The state’s policy supports land acquisition for the private developer but is limited to 10 per cent of the total project land. IT townships can change land use, subject to certain fee. Punjab also allows the developer to design the product mix and change land use share drastically.

Karnataka: The state acquires land on behalf of developers and parcels it out to them for a fee. Besides, land installments are linked to project completion— a feature that checks land hoarding. The land use mix specifies 25 per cent residential development and 25 per cent for economic activities.