In a powerful display of administrative efficiency, the Maharashtra government approved a 40,000 sq. meter land expansion proposal in just 2 hours and 34 minutes—setting a new benchmark for fast-tracked governance.

 India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was addressing global business leaders. During the meeting, a Swiss company representative requested additional land for their manufacturing unit in Maharashtra, which required reclassification of adjacent green-zone land.

Minister Goyal immediately shared the request with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). In under three hours, the land approval was confirmed, and the green zone was officially relocated—demonstrating Maharashtra’s commitment to ease of doing business.

This real-time approval was witnessed by nearly 1,000 Swiss business leaders and over 90 Indian companies. The swift action sent a strong message to international investors: India, and particularly Maharashtra, is ready to support global industry with speed and efficiency.

Source: Moneycontrol

The soon-to-be-completed joint survey work of the proposed Purandar Greenfield International Airport near Pune is a significant milestone toward the completion of the much-awaited project.

The government of Maharashtra wants to finish land acquisition by the end of this year, and construction tenders are likely to be invited in the first quarter of 2026. The airport is expected to be about 40 km away from Pune city and will have two parallel runways, each measuring 4,000 x 60 meters, and will be able to accommodate 75 million passengers annually. Once up and running, it is anticipated that it will cater to Pune along with western and central Maharashtra, greatly enhancing regional connectivity and economic development.

The concurrent measurement process spans seven villages reserved for the airport area: Kumbharvalan, Pargaon Memane, Khanwadi, Ekhatpur, Rajewadi, Munjwadi, and Udachiwadi. MADC officials and the district administration have been observing the process carefully in order to maintain transparency and coordination with the local villagers.

The government has noted that the compensation and rehabilitation process would be done in a fair and transparent manner to address farmers' concerns as well as ensure hassle-free implementation of the project.

Many people in India buy and sell land or houses. When they sell, they often earn a good profit, known as a capital gain.

But most people don’t know how to save tax on this profit, and even small mistakes can cause big tax problems.

A recent Income Tax Tribunal case from Chennai teaches us some very useful lessons about this.

What Happened in the Case

A man sold his property and made a profit.

He wanted to save tax under Section 54 of the Income Tax Act, which allows people to avoid paying tax on profit if they buy or build another house within a set time (usually 2 years to buy or 3 years to build).

However, he made one mistake — he did not deposit the remaining sale amount into the Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS) before the last date of filing his Income Tax Return.

Because of this, the Income Tax Department refused to give him the tax exemption.

What the Tribunal Said

The man appealed to the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Chennai.

The Tribunal looked at the facts and gave an important judgment:

The man did use the money from the sale to buy new land and start construction within the allowed period.

His intention was genuine — he was not trying to avoid tax unfairly.

So, even though he missed the step of putting money in the special CGAS account before the due date, the tribunal said he should still get the exemption.

The tribunal said that the main purpose of Section 54 is to encourage people to reinvest in a new home, not to punish them for a small technical delay.

So, as long as the investment in property is made in time, the benefit should not be denied.

What You Can Learn from This

1. Understand Section 54 well

If you sell a house or land and make a profit, you can save tax if you reinvest in another house within the given time limit.

2. Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS)

If you cannot use the money before the end of the financial year, you must normally deposit it in a special CGAS account in a bank before the return-filing due date.

However, if you still invest the money in time (even without depositing), this case shows you may still get relief — but it’s safer to follow the rule properly.

3. Keep proof of your investment

Always keep your sale deed, purchase receipts, construction bills, and bank statements. If the tax officer asks questions, these documents protect you.

4. Plan before selling your property

Talk to a tax consultant or CA before you sell. They can guide you on how to manage your finances and save tax properly.

Why This Case Matters

Many property owners lose tax benefits due to small mistakes, such as missing a deadline or not depositing money correctly.

This case shows that courts look at the true intention — if you have used the money for the right purpose, you can still get justice.

But the safest option is always to follow every rule carefully and keep full records.

For the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has chosen to purchase 22.26 hectares of land. The land parcels are owned by the Forest Department, the Women and Child Welfare Department, and the Defense Department.

Officials claim that the riverfront development extends 44.4 km inside the city limits. Land acquisition has been a major obstacle to the project's goals of beautifying and redeveloping both banks of the river.

Land Details

• Defence Department (Sangamwadi): Around 7 hectares
• Women & Child Welfare Department (Mundhwa): Around 3.4 hectares, currently marked for a botanical garden
• Forest Department (Koregaon Park): Around 11 hectares

Defence Department Approval

PMC has received consent from the Defence Department to use its land. In return, PMC will undertake works worth ₹32 crore at locations identified by the Defence authorities. A formal agreement will be signed soon.

District Collector Jitendra Dudi, Additional Commissioner Prithviraj B.P., City Engineer Prashant Waghmare, Project Department Head Dinkar Gojare, and Executive Engineer Bipin Shinde attended a review meeting presided over by PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.

City Engineer Waghmare confirmed that talks with the Women & Child Welfare and Forest Departments are in progress for the transfer of their respective land parcels.

Parts of the project are being carried out under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. However, PMC officials said that complete land availability is necessary for smooth execution. Commissioner Ram directed the departments to expedite the acquisition to avoid further delays.

The Maharashtra government has announced a major reform in its land policies by relaxing the existing law on land fragmentation. Under the new decision, subdivided land plots created up to January 1, 2025, will be granted legal recognition.

Key Provisions of the Reform

• Regularisation of Small Plots: Subdivided plots measuring up to one guntha (around 1,089 sq ft) will now be considered legal. Owners will be able to secure official ownership, registrations, and building permissions for such properties.
• Impact on Citizens: The move is expected to benefit millions of families across the state who have long faced uncertainty due to the legal status of small, fragmented plots.
• Implementation: A clear standard operating procedure (SOP) will be prepared to streamline layout approvals, road access, registrations, and construction permissions. This is aimed at ensuring transparency and reducing dependency on middlemen.
• Coverage Areas: The reform will apply to urban and semi-urban regions, including municipal areas, councils, nagar panchayats, urban development authority zones, gaothans, and buffer zones extending from 500 meters to up to 2 km outside municipal limits.

Why It Matters

Property owners who own "gunthewari," or unapproved subdivided plots, will benefit from the ruling as they frequently struggle to get building permits and register their properties.  Opportunities for more seamless real estate transactions and development projects will arise as a result of regularisation. 

Local bodies, including municipal corporations, are also working on introducing digital solutions to speed up processing and reduce delays. However, stakeholders believe the government should also work on lowering associated charges, such as registration fees, penalties, and regularisation costs, to make the process more affordable for ordinary citizens.

Looking Ahead

This reform is a crucial step toward updating Maharashtra's land laws.  The state aims to mitigate conflicts, improve property governance, and assist millions of landowners by identifying fragmented plots and establishing a transparent and regular process for their regularisation. 

In India, family property disputes have long been a source of stress, frequently lasting years because of ambiguous ownership and expensive registration fees. Because formal land division was costly, time-consuming, and legally complex, many families have avoided it until now.  Instead, verbal agreements were common, leading to misunderstandings, conflicts, and in many cases, prolonged court battles.

In a major reform, the government has now simplified the rules for legal land division, allowing families to complete the process officially at a cost of just ₹100.

The New Simplified Process

According to recent reports, the process has been made much more transparent and affordable:

1. Family Register Update – Every family member must be listed in the Parivarik Register maintained by the local Circle Officer. Missing names will not be eligible for a share.
2. Application Submission – Applicants need to provide ID proof, land ownership documents, and family relationship certificates, such as a ration card or family ID.
3. ₹100 Stamp Paper – After approval, families can purchase a ₹100 stamp paper on which the division details, such as boundaries, shares, and names of each member, are recorded.
4. Legal Ownership Issued – Once verified and registered, each member receives official ownership documents, enabling them to sell, mortgage, or apply for government benefits.

Benefits of the Reform

• For farmers: Having clear land ownership makes it easier for them to access government programs and obtain agricultural loans.
• For women, stronger property rights are ensured by the legal recognition of their share.
• For Families: Makes land distribution clear and legally binding, preventing future conflicts.

A Step Towards Transparency

Experts note that this initiative will reduce land-related litigation and bring clarity to property ownership. This action is anticipated to greatly reduce the burden of the millions of cases involving inheritance and division that are still pending in Indian courts.  Additionally, it supports the government's overarching objective of establishing an effective, transparent, and fraud-free land record system that benefits both urban and rural households.

Conclusion

All societal segments can now afford property division thanks to the government's simplification of the procedure and reduction of the cost to just ₹100. This reform ensures economic strength for farmers, legal empowerment for women, and peace of mind for families by simplifying and lowering the cost of what was once a complex legal process.