CII Proposes National Council to Reform Industrial Land Governance

The Confederation of Indian Industry released a report titled "CII Land Mission: Framework to Reform Industrial Land Management in India" proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the country's industrial land ecosystem. The industry body advocates for the creation of a National Industrial Land Council (NILC), a centralized body similar to the GST model, potentially housed within the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. This council would harmonize regulations across states and resolve high-value disputes through a proposed Fast-Track Tribunal.

To address systemic inefficiencies such as lengthy acquisition processes that can take up to 36 months, the framework recommends a unified, GIS-enabled national land bank to provide real-time data on zoning and title clarity. Additional proposals include a single-window digital application platform, time-bound handovers within 15 days, and a uniform national stamp duty for industrial land to reduce project costs.

CII leadership argues that these reforms are essential to meet national manufacturing ambitions and improve investor confidence. The roadmap suggests that digitizing land records and introducing title insurance would eliminate the fragmented processes and regulatory complexities that currently hinder project commissioning.