Delhi government raises agricultural land circle rates to ₹5 crore per acre

The Delhi government has decided to revise the circle rates for agricultural land after a gap of 15 years. The circle rates, which were previously set at ₹53 lakh per acre, will now see an increase to a maximum of ₹5 crore per acre.

This decision was approved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and has been forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for the final go-ahead.

Addressing the change, Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi revealed that the circle rates, which used to be uniform across the entire city, will now be determined district-wise in line with current market rates. The official notification confirming the new circle rates will be issued following the Lieutenant Governor's approval.

Under the new rates, agricultural land in the South and New Delhi districts will now command a circle rate of ₹5 crore per acre, while North Delhi and South West Delhi will witness rates of ₹3 crore per acre. Meanwhile, central Delhi's circle rate will be set at ₹2 crore per acre, according to Atishi's announcement on her official Twitter account.

Officials from the Delhi Development Authority told Money Control that this hike in circle rates will particularly benefit farmers. In the past, land acquisition by government bodies such as the DDA, PWD, and NHAI for various developmental projects, including roads, flyovers, universities, and hospitals, occurred at the notified circle rate of ₹53 lakh per acre. However, now these entities will need to allocate more funds to procure land from farmers due to the increased circle rates.

Ramesh Menon, Founder and Director of Delhi Consortiums said, Delhi's long-awaited circle rate revision has fulfilled a crucial demand. The city, enclosed by Haryana and UP, faced lower rates compared to its neighbours. The move aligns with neighbouring policies, benefitting landowners and investors while increasing govt. revenue and promoting specific development zones like South West Delhi.