Ladakh Nautor land rules approved, eligible holders can get ownership rights up to 10 acres

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has approved the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Nautor Regularisation) Rules, 2026, paving the way for proprietary rights over eligible Nautor land across all seven districts of the Union Territory.

The new rules seek to resolve the long-pending issue of Nautor land, which refers to barren or wasteland owned by the government and earlier allotted to individuals for cultivation or other productive purposes. More than 60,000 acres are currently recorded as Nautor holdings in Ladakh's revenue records.

Ownership rights up to 10 acres

Under the framework, eligible occupants can receive proprietary rights for up to 10 acres of Nautor land. Land beyond the 10-acre limit may be allotted on a leasehold basis. The one-time regularisation mechanism applies only to land occupied before October 27, 2020, the date on which the J&K Tenancy Act, 1980 was repealed.

For proprietary rights, applicants will have to pay an amount equivalent to the notified market rate of the concerned revenue village. For leasehold allotments beyond 10 acres, the premium will be 80 per cent of the notified market rate.

LAHDCs to handle allotments

The authority to allot Nautor land will now rest with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all seven districts. The rules are intended to bring a uniform process to land regularisation while protecting government and Council land from unauthorised claims.

“The Nautor issue has a deep historical connection with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Ladakh. For generations, our people have worked hard to bring barren and waste land under cultivation in one of the most challenging agricultural environments in the country.

These rules provide a transparent and uniform mechanism to address this long-pending issue and give legal certainty to genuine holders. It will also enable such land to be utilised as a financial asset, including for availing bank loans,” said L-G Saxena.

Rules open for public consultation

Land regularised under the rules may be mortgaged with scheduled banks, financial institutions and government-backed lending agencies for development. Abandoned or encroached land will not qualify and may be subject to eviction.

The rules will now be put up for public consultation for two weeks before their final notification.