Mizoram plans sweeping land reforms, new law to replace 2013 act

The Mizoram government is set to introduce a comprehensive new land law aimed at modernising land administration and addressing evolving governance requirements, Land Revenue and Settlement Minister B Lalchhanzova said on May 26.

Addressing a press conference in Aizawl, the minister said “The Mizoram (Land Revenue) Bill, 2026” is being drafted to replace the existing Mizoram (Land Revenue) Act, 2013, which the government believes no longer adequately meets changing administrative and legal needs.

“Since the existing law requires extensive revisions in view of changing times and administrative needs, a new legislation — The Mizoram Land Revenue Act, 2026 — is currently being prepared and is expected to be completed within this year,” Lalchhanzova said.

Alongside the proposed legislation, the state government is also preparing the Mizoram Survey and Settlement Operations Bill, 2026, expected to be introduced during the upcoming monsoon session to accelerate large-scale land surveys.

The minister said the government is undertaking major reforms in land administration, digitisation and revenue systems, targeting annual revenue generation of around Rs 100 crore from stamp duty and registration within the next five to six years.

Other measures under preparation include an Apartment Ownership Act and a Revenue Court Manual aimed at improving land governance and dispute resolution.

Lalchhanzova said amendments introduced to the 2013 law in August 2025 included replacing Settlement Officers with Assistant Commissioners, simplifying land sub-lease procedures, empowering Deputy Commissioners to approve land-use diversion matters up to 5,000 square metres and strengthening mechanisms to tackle illegal land occupation.

The reforms, he said, are intended to build a more transparent, decentralised and citizen-friendly land administration framework.

As part of administrative restructuring, Aizawl revenue district has been divided into North and South divisions, while decentralisation pilot projects are being rolled out in Vairengte and Thenzawl sub-divisions with expanded offices and stronger sub-registrar facilities.

The minister also highlighted progress in digital governance through the e-RAM portal launched in December 2024, alongside new citizen service initiatives including a 24x7 WhatsApp Bot and a planned Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to help users facing difficulties with online applications.

In another modernisation push, the government has signed an agreement with Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited to introduce e-Stamping, aimed at improving transparency, security and efficiency in stamp duty payments.

Revenue from stamp duty and registration has grown sharply in recent years, increasing from Rs 7.91 crore in 2022–23 to Rs 20.20 crore in 2025–26.

“Many states generate substantial revenue through land transactions and registration. Mizoram started relatively late in this sector, but we are now taking strong measures to expand it,” Lalchhanzova said.

The state is also carrying out extensive land surveys and digitisation under schemes such as SVAMITVA, DILRMP and the NAKSHA urban mapping programme.