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As of Hindustan Times’ October 2, 2026 report, Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta had not approved or rejected the pending Nautor land proposal. He said it was under consideration, that he had sought action-taken reports from concerned deputy commissioners, and that he would examine earlier proceedings before acting. The current dispute concerns proposed allotments involving forest land in tribal areas; it is not simply a routine application under the general Nautor rules.
What is the Nautor land issue?
Nautor is a Himachal Pradesh framework for allotting qualifying government waste land, subject to approval by the competent authority. The state’s Himachal Pradesh Nautor Land Rules, 1968 list agriculture and horticulture among the permitted uses. The current political dispute, however, focuses on proposals involving forest land in tribal areas, which raise additional forest-law questions. The general rules do not by themselves establish that such land can now be allotted.
Has the Governor approved the proposal?
No approval or rejection was reported by October 2, 2026. Hindustan Times said Gupta had requested action-taken reports from concerned deputy commissioners and would consider earlier proceedings before deciding. That describes an ongoing review, not a final order. The status could have changed after the report’s publication date.
How many applications are pending?
Himachal Pradesh Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi said roughly 20,000 applications were pending at sub-divisional level, according to the October 2 Hindustan Times report. This is the minister’s approximate figure; the report does not establish it as an independently verified administrative count.
An earlier PTI report from January 8, 2025 attributed to Negi a figure of 12,742 people described as eligible. That is a different measure, from an earlier date, and should not be treated as a competing count of the 2026 application backlog.
Why does forest land make the issue more complicated?
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 imposes constraints beyond the ordinary Nautor framework. In a February 13, 2019 notification, Himachal Pradesh’s Forest Department used authority associated with the Fifth Schedule to provide a limited, conditional and time-bound exemption for a specified purpose in Scheduled Areas. The notification included exclusions for certain protected areas, restrictions on trees on allotted land and other controls. It is historical precedent, not evidence that the same exemption remains in force or that the current proposal has been approved. Read the 2019 state notification.
Accordingly, the present political request and the legal status of any forest-land allotment must be kept separate: advocacy for relief does not itself override applicable forest protections or constitute a clearance.
What are the competing positions?
Negi has argued publicly for action on allotments in Scheduled Areas and criticized delays. He has also linked the issue to economic effects, claims that are attributed to him in current coverage rather than independently established findings. The Governor’s reported response is procedural: gather reports, review past proceedings and consider the matter. Those positions reflect an active policy dispute, not a settled legal outcome.
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ANI/Devdiscourse reported Negi’s renewed criticism on September 30, 2026. The current-status report two days later said the Governor’s consideration was continuing. Neither report establishes that a new exemption or approval had taken effect.
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