At the Centre, all the matters relating to land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation are considered equally important for both rural as well as urban areas. Accordingly, two separate Ministries, namely, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Urban Development, have been set up. They are constantly making all efforts to harness full potential of available land resources and prevent their further degradation.

The Ministry of Rural Development is the main authority in India for dealing with various aspects of land acquisition as well as rehabilitation and resettlement policy, with special focus on rural India. It aims to:- (i) bridge the rural-urban divide by ensuring rapid and time bound development as well as budgetary support for implementing the various rural development schemes; (ii) create rural infrastructure for better economic opportunities and growth; (iii) restore lost or depleted productivity of the land for better livelihood opportunities, which is done through integrated watershed development programmes and by initiating effective land reform measures for providing land to the landless rural poor; (iv) administer the central legislation on land acquisition, that is, Land Acquisition Act, 1894; (v) examine all State legislative proposals covering any enactment of the subject of acquisition and requisition of property/ land; etc.

The Ministry consists of the three Departments, namely:-

1. The Department of Rural Development deals with all matters relating to generation of self employment and wage employment in rural areas, provision of housing and minor irrigation assets to rural poor, rural connectivity, etc. It provides support services and other quality inputs such as assistance for strengthening of DRDA Administration, Panchayati Raj institutions, training and research, human resource development, development of voluntary action, etc. for the proper implementation of its schemes and programmes. The major programmes of the Department are Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Rural Housing (Indira Awaas Yojana), Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) and Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY).
   
   
2. The Department of Land Resources act as the nodal agency for land resource management in India. It undertakes all land-based development programmes and implements schemes to increase the bio-mass production by developing wastelands in the country. It provides the support services and other quality inputs such as land reforms, betterment of revenue system and land records. It also undertakes development of desert areas and drought prone areas in the country. It mainly administers Land acquisition Act and matters relating to acquisition of land. The major programmes of the Department are Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), Desert Development Programme (DDP), Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP), Land Reforms (LR), National Mission on Bio-fuels, etc. The 'Land Reform Division' in the Department is mainly responsible for monitoring programmes relating to land reforms and examines all Central and State legislations on acquisition and requisition of land/ properties.
   
   
3. The Department of Drinking Water Supply deals with the provision of drinking water supply as well as extension of sewage, drainage and sanitation facilities to the rural poor. Its major programmes include the Swajaldhara, the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP), the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), etc.

Besides, the Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), established in 1986, as an autonomous organization under the Ministry, so as to promote voluntary action towards implementation of projects for the enhancement of rural prosperity and to act as catalyst for development of technologies appropriate for the rural areas.

While, the Ministry of Urban Development is another main authority to deal with land matters in urban areas. It administers the Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulation) Act, 1976 as well as the Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulation) Repeal Act, 1999. It has the responsibility of broad policy formulation and monitoring of programmes in the areas of urban development, urban water supply and sanitation. Its attached offices are:-

• Central Public Works Department (CPWD) - the principal agency of the Government of India for construction as well as maintenance of all Central Government buildings and projects, excluding those belonging to Railways, Defence, Communication, Atomic Energy, Airports and All India Radio. It handles a wide range of projects pertaining to housing and office space and complexes, hospitals, workshops and factories, hostels and hotels, food grain storage structures, roads, national highways, bridges and flyovers, airports, computer centers, environmental and other utility services.
  
  
• Directorate of Printing - executes all printing jobs of various Ministries / Departments of the Government of India.
  
  
• Directorate of Estates - responsible for the administration and management of the office buildings for the various organisations of the Government of India as well as residential accommodation for the Government employees in the metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and five other cities namely Shimla, Chandigarh, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Nagpur.
  
  
• Land and Development Office - responsible for the administration of landed estates of Government of India including lease, sale, mortgage, substitution, mutation, etc. Its major activities are:- (i) maintenance of records of all properties and lands placed under its charge; (ii) allotment of land to various Government/ Semi-government Department and various political, social, charitable, educational and religious institutions under the direction of the Government; (iii) auction of vacant land and built up properties under its charge; (iv) recovery of lease charges, ground rent, damages, etc. on such property; (v) conversion of lease-hold into free-hold residential properties; etc.

Besides, the Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) is the technical arm of Ministry of Urban Development in matters of town planning, regional planning and urban development, including metropolitan planning, human settlement policies, etc. It assists and advises the State Government, local bodies and Development authorities on these matters.

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