In the wake of demands by farmers that inhabited areas of villages, commonly known as ‘abadi land’, should be exempted from acquisition, the UP government is planning to bring a uniform policy for Noida, Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority. All three authorities have been asked to prepare draft regulations for identification, control and regularisation of such land in their jurisdiction. At present, only Noida has a policy to deal with “rural abadi land” under which seven per cent of the land acquired is given on lease for residential purpose. This land could be at the same place or a neighbouring area if construction is planned. Farmers in Greater Noida and YEIDA areas are demanding similar regulations, while farmers in Noida are demanding certain changes in existing norms. In view of these demands, the government is planning a policy for all three areas. The Revenue Department has been asked to analyse drafts of the three authorities. The benefits will come with a pre-condition: farmers should withdraw all pending cases against the authority and also remove encroachments from the notified land, other than the one regularised under the proposed ‘abadi’ site regulations. A Noida official said farmers have realised that “even small land in developed area earns huge profits, running into crores.” He said the government is also planning to do away with the restriction that those seeking ‘abadi’ benefits could not avail of plots reserved for villagers in the developed area. In Noida, farmers are against the policy of identifying ‘abadi’ land when acquisition notification is issued under section 4 and section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act. They say identification should be done when the land is actually acquired, which is often years later. The government is therefore planning to fix June 30, 2011 as the date for identification of inhabited land. The benefit of the policy governing allotment of land in lieu of the ‘abadi’ would be given only if construction exists on June 30, 2011, as shown in satellite imagery. Also, earlier a farmer needed to be an original resident of a revenue village to get benefits. The goverment plans to extend this to original residents of any village in the area of jurisdiction of a authority, who are inhabitants in the acquired village.