The Maharashtra Government has reconstituted a high-level committee to expedite the scrutiny and approval of draft land acquisition awards involving compensation exceeding ₹100 crore. The move is aimed at ensuring faster decision-making while maintaining transparency and quality in the land acquisition process.
The Revenue and Forest Department issued the Government Resolution (GR No. Sankirna-2026/Pr.Kr.20/Bhoosampadan-04) on July 21, 2026, restructuring the committee responsible for granting prior approval to high-value land acquisition awards before they are declared by district collectors.
The decision follows the reorganisation of ministerial departments undertaken by the General Administration Department on June 24, 2026. As part of this administrative restructuring, the government has replaced the earlier committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Forests and Land Acquisition) with a newly constituted committee chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue).
The requirement for prior government approval stems from the notification issued on January 11, 2024, under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Maharashtra) Rules, 2014. Under Rule 18(3), whenever compensation payable in a land acquisition case exceeds ₹100 crore, the District Collector must submit the draft award to the State Government through the Divisional Commissioner for prior approval before issuing the final award.
The government said the committee has been reconstituted to enable quicker examination of draft awards and ensure quality decision-making in high-value land acquisition cases.
According to the Government Resolution, the reconstituted committee will comprise senior officers from multiple departments to facilitate coordinated decision-making.
The committee will be chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) and will include the Additional Chief Secretaries of Forests, Public Works and Agriculture as members. Other members include the Principal Secretary of the Law and Judiciary Department, the Administrative Secretary or Head of the concerned acquiring department, the Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps, the Joint Director of Town Planning and Valuation Department, the concerned District Collector and the Joint Secretary (Land Acquisition), who will serve as the Member Secretary.
The government has also clearly defined the committee’s responsibilities.
Its primary role will be to examine every draft land acquisition award received by the State Government and verify whether it complies with the provisions of the applicable land acquisition laws and rules. Based on this examination, the committee will recommend whether the proposal should receive government approval.
The committee has also been authorised to invite subject matter experts or competent officers as special invitees whenever technical evaluation of issues other than land valuation becomes necessary.
In addition, the head of the acquiring authority involved in a particular land acquisition project may also be invited to committee meetings whenever required to provide project-specific inputs.
The new mechanism is expected to improve coordination among various government departments involved in large infrastructure and public development projects where land acquisition compensation exceeds ₹100 crore.
Projects involving agencies such as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), irrigation departments and other infrastructure authorities are likely to benefit from faster scrutiny of draft awards under the revised framework.
By bringing together senior officials from the Revenue, Forest, Agriculture, Public Works, Law, Registration and Town Planning departments on a single platform, the government aims to reduce procedural delays and ensure timely approval of high-value compensation awards while maintaining legal compliance and transparency.
The Government Resolution has been issued with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra and takes immediate effect across the state.
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