13,000 Farmers in Noida to Receive Plots; Long-Pending Issue Resolved

The Noida Authority has amended the Master Plan-2031, paving the way for the allocation of 5% developed residential plots to 13,000 farmers—a matter that had been pending for years. Find out who stands to benefit and to what extent.

Thousands of farmers in Noida, whose land was acquired for the city's development, have long been awaiting the residential plots owed to them. To resolve this long-standing issue, the Noida Authority has taken a significant step by amending the Master Plan-2031. This move will enable approximately 13,000 farmers to receive their entitled 5% share of developed residential plots.

In the past, large tracts of land belonging to various villages in Noida were acquired for development. As part of the compensation package, it was agreed that farmers would receive both monetary compensation and developed residential plots. However, as the city’s development progressed, finding suitable land for the remaining farmers' plots became increasingly difficult. The amendment to the Master Plan has been introduced specifically to address this challenge.

What changes have been made to the Master Plan-2031?

The Noida Authority has amended Clause 7.3.1 of the zoning regulations within the Master Plan-2031. Under this provision, it will now be possible to plan the 5% developed residential plots for farmers on land adjacent to existing village settlements.

According to Noida Authority CEO Krishna Karunesh, identifying appropriate locations for the remaining plots had become challenging because the Master Plan-2031 is nearing completion. The Authority faced a dilemma: with development work across the city largely finished, where could the remaining plots for the farmers be accommodated? The amendment now provides the option to develop these plots on land located in the vicinity of the villages.

Why hadn't the farmers received their plots?

Under the Noida Authority’s policy, farmers whose land is acquired are entitled to receive 5% of the acquired area as developed residential plots. However, not all farmers have received this benefit yet.

According to farmers' organizations, there are approximately 12,800 farmers whose land-allotment cases remain unresolved. It is worth noting that the scale of land acquisition in Noida has been significant; between 1976 and 2020, the Authority acquired approximately 12,375 hectares of land across 69 villages.

Why are farmers demanding a 10% land allotment?

In 2011, a case titled *Gajraj vs. Government of Uttar Pradesh* was heard by the Allahabad High Court. In October 2011, the Court ordered that affected farmers be granted an additional 64.7% compensation over and above what they had already received. Furthermore, the Court directed that they be provided with developed residential plots equivalent to 10% of the land acquired from them.

This is the reason why farmers have long been demanding a 10% developed land allotment, whereas the current policy of the Noida Authority provides for only a 5% allotment. Farmers have staged protests on this issue on several occasions.

Which farmers might find relief?

This master plan could open up possibilities for land allotment in villages such as Hajipur, Salarpur, Bhangel, and Sorkha—villages situated in the vicinity of developed sectors. In February 2024, the Government of Uttar Pradesh established a three-member high-level committee to examine the farmers' demands; the committee submitted its report in August 2024. Now, by introducing changes to the master plan, the Authority has taken steps to address the pending cases regarding the 5% land allotment.