Dhami govt defies state land law, allows construction of resorts on agricultural land

In violation of the ethos of the Uttarakhand land law, 2025, which intends to prevent outsiders from buying land in hill areas, the state government has allowed the construction of resorts on agricultural lands. A decision to this effect was taken by the Pushkar Singh Dhami cabinet on Wednesday, along with formally approving the handover of the state-owned Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), as part of nearly 19 proposals tabled for its approval.

The Uttarakhand cabinet has allowed the construction of resorts on agricultural land without a formal change in land use on the pretext of giving a fillip to tourism development in the state. “In view of the potential for tourism development, agricultural land can now be used for the construction of resorts similar to eco-resorts without the need for a change in land use,” said Shailesh Bagoli, Secretary to the Chief Minister, while briefing the media about the cabinet decision.

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Bagoli added that the standard width of approach roads for these resorts has been reduced to six metres in hilly regions and nine metres in plain areas.

It’s notable that earlier this year, the Dhami government enacted its much-discussed state-centric land law, which prevents outsiders from buying rural land in 11 of the 13 hill districts of the state. According to some officials, the cabinet’s decision on Wednesday may not fully align with the provisions of the state land law, though clarity is expected in the coming days.

In another decision, the Dhami cabinet formalised the proposal of doling out its strategically important Naini Saini Airport to the AAI. The cabinet decision was merely a formality, as the Chief Minister had himself announced earlier that the Naini Saini Airport would be handed over to the AAI. Besides civil aviation purposes, the Pithoragarh Airport is also important for strategic and defence needs, as it lies close to the Indo-China border.

The state cabinet also approved the proposal to enforce the Uttarakhand Town Planning Scheme (Implementation) Rules, 2025, and the Uttarakhand Land Pooling Scheme (Implementation) Rules, 2025. This move is aimed at enabling unhindered procurement of land for planned development in the state’s urban areas.

According to Bagoli, the Dhami cabinet’s decision on urban development will help rationalise building constructions and development bylaws in the state, in line with the guidelines provided by the central government’s Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26.

In yet another important decision, the state cabinet cleared a proposal to rename the Centre for Aromatic Plants as the Institute of Perfumery and Aromatic Research (IPAR). Bagoli added that the cabinet approved around 19 proposals from various departments in the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.