Can I buy land in Chhattisgarh?

Who's buying?

Open for this category

Yes, no Section 165 permission required

Chhattisgarh restricts agricultural land by occupation, not state of origin. Under Section 165 of the CG Land Revenue Code, 1959, non-agriculturists cannot buy agricultural land anywhere in the state without Collector permission.

Tribal land in 17 Fifth Schedule scheduled districts is doubly protected. Since the January 2024 policy reversal, Gram Sabha approval is mandatory for any tribal-to-non-tribal transfer.

District map

36Open

0Restricted

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By district

Open across all 33 districts for non-tribal agricultural land

Can buy freely with a valid agriculturist certificate.

Fifth Schedule scheduled districts (tribal land)

Tribal land transfer needs Gram Sabha approval (mandatory since Jan 2024) plus Collector approval.

Who is an 'Agriculturist' in Chhattisgarh?

A bona fide agriculturist who cultivates land personally

Section 165 of the CG Land Revenue Code, 1959 defines an agriculturist as a person who cultivates land personally as a primary livelihood, or who can reasonably be expected to do so. Urbanites, professionals, businesspeople, and corporate entities do not qualify.

Records that prove agriculturist status

B-1 Extract (Record of Rights)

Primary land record showing ownership, area and crop history. Available via the Bhuiya CG portal.

P-II Extract

Mutation register entry recording how the land was acquired (sale, inheritance, partition).

Khasra

Plot-wise extract showing cultivation details.

Agriculturist Certificate

Issued by the Tehsildar; the cleanest single-document proof of agriculturist status.

Land Revenue Receipts

Receipts showing payment of land revenue in your name.

Walk me through the Section 165 application

typically 4 to 9 months

1
Verify land classification
Confirm whether the land is agricultural, in a Fifth Schedule scheduled area, or non-agricultural via the Bhuiya CG portal or the Tehsil revenue office.
2
Prepare the application
Submit the prescribed application to the District Collector under Section 165 of the CG Land Revenue Code, citing the proposed end-use.
3
Gram Sabha consultation (tribal land)
Under PESA and the January 2024 policy, the Gram Sabha must approve any tribal-to-non-tribal transfer. The minutes are recorded in the Gram Sabha register.
4
Tribal Advisory Committee review
For tribal land, the Tribal Advisory Committee verifies that the seller retains a minimum family holding and that the transaction is not exploitative.
5
Collector's order
The Collector issues a written approval (with end-use conditions) or a rejection letter.
6
Stamp and register
If approved, execute the sale deed, pay stamp duty, and register at the Sub-Registrar Office. Update mutation in the village records via the CG IGR portal.

Section 165 permission is rarely granted for general agricultural use. For tribal-land transfers, the approval rate has fallen below 10% since the January 2024 Gram Sabha mandate. Decisions typically take 4 to 9 months.

What you can do without Collector approval

Buy non-agricultural land in any of the 10 non-scheduled districts (Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Sakti, etc.) via standard registration.
Buy plotted residential or commercial property in approved layouts.
Lease agricultural land for cultivation; lease arrangements do not trigger Section 165.
Apply for an Agriculturist Certificate via the local Tehsildar if you, your parent or grandparent owned agricultural land.

Attempting to circumvent Section 165 via benami arrangements is a criminal offence

Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (as amended 2016).
Penalty: 1 to 7 years rigorous imprisonment plus fine up to 25% of fair market value.
Property can be confiscated by the government.
Section 170B of the CG Land Revenue Code allows the State to restore tribal land alienated in contravention of Section 165.
The local 'name-lender' can simply refuse to return the land, leaving the outsider with no legal recourse.

Sources

↗ Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code, 1959 (India Code)↗ Chhattisgarh Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1960 (India Code)↗ Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (India Code)