Nagpur: The Maharashtra government on Thursday extended by one year the 'Special Amnesty Scheme-2025' aimed at regularising residential and commercial plots allotted to Sindhi refugees and converting them into freehold properties.
The decision, taken as per the directives of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and announced by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, will allow eligible beneficiaries to submit applications till May 15, 2027.
Background of the Scheme
The scheme was launched in May 2025 to address the long-pending issue of conditional land allotments to Sindhi families displaced after Partition. Under the initiative, violations of lease conditions on such plots can be regularised, enabling occupants to obtain full ownership rights over the land.
Officials said the extension was granted after the scheme received a strong response from citizens. Scrutiny of several applications and supporting documents is underway. The government said the move was intended to ensure that no eligible beneficiary was deprived of the scheme benefits due to procedural delays.
Exclusions and Scope
The extension will apply to all notified areas across Maharashtra except Ulhasnagar in Thane district, which remains outside the purview of the current decision. Bawankule said the issue concerning regularisation of Sindhi refugee lands remained unresolved for decades and required a practical and humanitarian approach.
The extension is expected to benefit thousands of Sindhi families residing in various notified settlements across the state, many of whom have been awaiting ownership rights despite occupying the properties for decades.
The scheme is also expected to streamline land records and reduce disputes related to conditional occupancy and transfer restrictions attached to such properties.
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