Land conversion fee reduced

Visakhapatnam: The state government has amended the AP Agriculture Lands (conversion for non-agriculture purpose) Act, 2006 vide Act 13 of 2018, by revising the rate of land conversion fee from 9 per cent to 3 per cent in rural areas and from 5 per cent to 2 per cent in urban areas. As per the amended rules, the procedure for conversion of land  vests with tahsildars and revenue divisional officer. 

The owner of land, who desires to convert agriculture land for non-agricultural purposes has to pay one-time conversion tax at any Mee Seva centre through online system duly filling the details as per the guidelines. 

The RDO will issue notices for payment of deficit one-time conversion tax, if any. On payment of requisite fee, the agriculture land stands converted and can be used for non-agricultural purposes by the declarant.

According to Visakhapatnam joint collector G Srijana, for Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) lands, the APIIC should issue certificate to individual industrial units that the lands allotted to them are converted for non-agricultural purpose. 

The competent authority (RDO) or any other officer authorised by the RDO should have power to enter upon, inspect, measure the land for verification of area applied for conversion.