In an important decision to prevent illegal construction on agricultural land in urban areas, the Yogi Adityanath government has now made it mandatory to obtain permission before any residential or commercial development on farmland. The move targets unauthorized construction activities that have been rising on agricultural land in cities.

An order has been issued by P. Guruprasad, Principal Secretary of Housing, directing all concerned authorities to enforce this mandate. The government order specifies that before starting any construction on agricultural land, an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the relevant development authority is now compulsory. Construction without this clearance will be immediately halted.

The government previously issued similar guidelines in 2022, but they were not strictly followed by divisional and district officials. Now, the new order mandates that for any non-agricultural use of land under Development Authority or Special Development Area jurisdiction, prior permission is a must.

This directive is expected to curb illegal activities by land mafias and control unauthorized developments in designated authority areas. According to the guidelines, district magistrates and divisional commissioners must first verify the NOC before granting any construction approval on agricultural land. If no NOC is available, construction will not be permitted. This order is seen as a significant step toward addressing unauthorized land use in the state.