The Haryana Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Land Pooling Policy-2026, establishing a framework for acquiring land for urban and industrial projects through the voluntary participation of landowners.Under the policy, the landowners will be offered 50 per cent of the total saleable area of the project as per the approved layout plan. In the earlier Land Pooling Policy-2022, the allotment was based on the market value of undeveloped land.A development agency, such as the HSVP or the HSIIDC, will first identify the project area, or a landowner may voluntarily offer land for the project through land aggregators. It must give a public notice of the project through an advertisement in four leading newspapers, on its website, on official notice boards, and must notify the sarpanch or the Mayor concerned.Once the project receives in-principle approval, the development agency must publish the details of the identified land, its owners, and each owner’s specific land contribution on its website.A remark will be entered in the land records, and registrars cannot register transactions on that land without the agency’s approval.The development agency must publish the land allotment share for each owner on its website and in four newspapers. The landowners must convey their consent within 30 days.Once the final project approval is communicated to all contributing landowners, the sale deeds will be executed in favour of the development agency within 60 days.Aggregators registered under the Haryana property dealers’ law are paid 0.5 per cent of the agricultural collector rate by the agency after the sale deeds are executed.Of the total saleable area of the project, 50 per cent will be offered to the landowners and the remaining 50 per cent will be retained by the development agency.The minimum size of developed plots is 100 sq m for the residential category, 500 sq m for the institutional category and 250 sq m for the industrial category. The landowners can opt for bigger plots as per their share.Commercial sites will also be offered out of the 50 per cent share of the landowners. No commercial space will be provided for acquired land under 999 square metres. However, for land parcels measuring between 1,000 and 1,999 square metres, one kiosk of 7.56 square metres will be offered.For land parcels measuring between 2,000 square metres and 2,999 square metres, two kisoks of 15.12 square metres will be offered. For land parcels measuring between 3,000 and more, one booth of 22.68 square metres will be offered.If the land offered is less than 999 square metres, the owner shall be paid monetary compensation as per the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, or at the reserve price of the plot, whichever is higher.The development agency must complete the infrastructure within four years from the date of final approval of the project, failing which the land shall be reverted to the owners. An additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh per acre will be paid to the landowner. However, a one-year extension can be granted if 75 per cent of the owners agree.The owners will get an annual interim financial support of Rs 1 lakh per acre for four years, starting from the date of the sale deed registration, payable within 15 days. Any delay will attract 9 per cent simple interest.