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District guide
Buying Land in Banka
A hill-edge district south of Bhagalpur, with Raxaul–Haldia expressway land acquisition, NH-133E notices and a Sultanganj–Katoria rail line.
3,056 sq km
Area (ICAR-CRIDA)
1,170 mm
Normal annual rainfall
152,300 ha
Net sown area
About 75 km
Expressway length in Banka
District land record — Banka
Rev. 2026 · Farmland India desk
State
Bihar
Sub-divisions
Blocks include Banka, Amarpur, Shambhuganj, Barahat, Bounsi and Katoria, named in Prabhat Khabar land acquisition reports (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026), with ICAR-CRIDA recording about 3,056 sq km of area (ICAR-CRIDA).
Key markets
Banka town · Amarpur · Katoria · Bounsi
Demand anchors
About 75 km of the Raxaul–Haldia expressway passes through Banka, needing land in 58 villages (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026). A gazette notice for NH-133E covers 573 plots in 16 villages (Prabhat Khabar, 16 Oct 2026).
Rail
No operating railhead in the district; the Sultanganj–Katoria line is planned.
Size and population
About 3,056 sq km, of which about 152,300 ha is net sown.
Pricing unit
Asking prices are usually quoted in kattha or decimal; no sourced price series is shown
Local units
Kattha and bigha vary in size across Bihar and are not fixed by a single official conversion; 1 decimal is one-hundredth of an acre (435.6 sq ft). Always convert to acres or sq ft on the deed.
Land records portal
biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in for Jamabandi, mutation and maps
Land law is state law. These rules are maintained on the Bihar page and apply to every district within it.
Banka — land purchase legal rules
Bihar does not reserve agricultural land for farmers the way Gujarat or Maharashtra do, so an Indian resident who is not a cultivator can usually buy farmland here. The limits that bite are different: a family land ceiling, a conversion permission before any non-farm use, an unfinished statewide resurvey that is rewriting old records, and the usual NRI bar under FEMA. Most buyer problems in Bihar come from the records, not from the law.
Who can buy agricultural land? We found no provision in Bihar’s tenancy or ceiling laws that limits farmland purchases to agriculturists. What the Bihar Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling Area and Acquisition of Surplus Land) Act, 1961 controls is how much a family may hold, and section 16 bars any acquisition by transfer, exchange, lease, mortgage or settlement that would take the buyer’s family above its ceiling. Inheritance, bequest and gift are outside that bar.
Ceiling limits: Section 4 of the 1961 Act sets the ceiling for a family of up to five by land class: 15 acres for land irrigated by government works and double-cropped, 18 acres for land on private tubewells or lift irrigation, 25 acres for one-season irrigated land, 30 acres for other land including orchards, 37.5 acres for diara or chaur land and 45 acres for hilly, sandy or perennially submerged land. Each extra family member adds one-tenth of the ceiling, up to one and a half times the limit. A “family” is a person, spouse and minor children, and companies, trusts and institutions count as persons.
Conversion to non-farm use: The Bihar Agriculture Land (Conversion for Non-Agriculture Purposes) Act, 2010 requires prior permission from the Sub-Divisional Officer before agricultural land is used for anything else. The fee is 10% of market value as set by the Collector under the Stamp Act, the SDO must decide within 90 days, and converting without permission draws a penalty of half the fee on top of the fee. The Act does not apply inside municipal areas or areas notified as urban, commercial or industrial through a master plan, where building and layout rules take over instead.
Mutation and the Jamabandi: A registered deed is not the end of the job. The buyer has to apply for mutation, called Dakhil Kharij, so that the Jamabandi (register II) moves to the buyer’s name and rent receipts are issued to the buyer. Both steps run online through Bihar Bhumi, and errors in the digitised Jamabandi are corrected through the Parimarjan portal. Sellers whose Jamabandi carries a wrong name, area or plot number should fix it before registry, not after.
The special land survey: Bihar is resurveying land under the Bihar Special Survey and Settlement Act, 2011, which will produce a new Khatiyan (record of rights) and maps for each village. The deadline was moved to December 2026 in March 2025 (PTI via ThePrint), and the revenue minister was reported in March 2026 to have set December 2027 for completion (Prabhat Khabar, March 2026). Buyers in a village under survey should check whether the seller filed the self-declaration and whether any claim or objection is pending on the plot.
Government, Bhoodan and estate land: A large share of disputes involves land that was never the seller’s to sell: government land recorded as gair mazarua, Bhoodan land, or land of former estates. The revenue department reported that 2,56,664.88 acres of the 6,48,593.14 acres donated under Bhoodan had been distributed, and that about 15,358 acres of the former Bettiah Raj estate were set to be taken over (Deccan Herald). Check the khata category in the Khatiyan before paying any token money.
Scheduled Areas and tribal land: Bihar is not among the ten states with notified Fifth Schedule Areas (PIB). The Chotanagpur and Santhal Parganas tenancy restrictions on tribal land went with those regions to Jharkhand in 2000, so buyers moving between the two states should not assume the same rules apply.
Planned township zones: Bihar has finalised areas for 11 greenfield satellite townships and in April 2026 the Urban Development Department barred sale, purchase and construction in seven of them, including the Pataliputra Township around Patna (Prabhat Khabar, April 2026). The ban on sales was lifted in August 2026, though a landowner inside the Pataliputra township area must first inform the government before selling, and a cabinet decision reported on 29 October 2026 removed the restriction in the satellite townships, with construction to follow the development control rules (Prabhat Khabar, 9 August 2026; Prabhat Khabar, 29 October 2026). Zoning under these plans now decides what a plot can be used for.
Documents to ask for: Before paying an advance, collect the current Jamabandi page and the latest rent receipt (lagan rasid), the Khatiyan (record of rights) from the last settled survey and, where it exists, the new survey entry, the Bhu Naksha map sheet with the plot number marked, the seller’s chain of registered deeds (kewala) for at least the last 30 years, the mutation order that put the land in the seller’s name, and a land possession certificate (LPC) from the circle office. Match the khata, khesra (plot) number, area and boundaries across every document. Our Bhu Naksha guide and mutation status guide show how to pull these online.
NRI and OCI buyers: Under the RBI’s Master Direction on acquisition of immovable property, NRIs and OCIs may buy immovable property in India other than agricultural land, plantation property or a farm house. They can inherit such land. Our NRI guide covers the options in detail.
- No farmer-only rule found
- Ceiling Act 1961
- Conversion Act 2010 (SDO)
- Dakhil Kharij mutation
- Special survey to 2027 (reported)
- NRI agri: barred (RBI)
- Records via Bihar Bhumi
Banka — district-specific notes
The Bihar state page applies to Banka in full: the ceiling law, the 2010 conversion rule, mutation through Bihar Bhumi and the NRI bar. These five points are specific to the district.
⚠ Expressway land in 58 villages. Prabhat Khabar reported land acquisition for the Raxaul–Haldia expressway in five blocks, with 3A notification reports received for 29 villages (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026). Ask the District Land Acquisition Office whether the mauza is on the list before you pay an advance.
⚠ Highway notices on NH-133E. A gazette notice covers 573 plots in 16 villages, including residential and double-crop land (Prabhat Khabar, 16 Oct 2026). Land inside the notice is acquired at government-fixed compensation, and the notice can reduce the area you thought you bought.
⚠ The government rate has risen. The June 2026 MVR revision doubled government rates in urban areas and raised village rates by about 60%, and stamp duty was reported at 7% (Prabhat Khabar, 18 Jun 2026). Confirm the exact rate with the Banka sub-registrar before you budget.
⚠ Special survey. The revenue minister set December 2027 as the target for the state’s special land survey (Prabhat Khabar, 11 Mar 2026). Check the survey stage of the mauza and any pending corrections on Parimarjan.
⚠ Conversion and use. Conversion of farmland under the 2010 Act is decided by the sub-divisional officer at Banka, and it does not apply in municipal or notified urban areas, where zoning rules decide use. Ask which regime covers the plot before you plan a farmhouse or a shed.
Read the full Bihar land buying guide for the ceiling, conversion, survey and NRI rules.
- Expressway acquisition
- NH-133E notices
- MVR revised 2026
- Special survey to 2027 (reported)
- Rail land acquisition
District overview
Banka — a capital district with a new metro, a second airport and a Tal farm belt
Banka is a hill-edge district of about 3,056 sq km south of Bhagalpur, with fine sandy loam on 38% and clay on 35% of its area (ICAR-CRIDA contingency plan). Paddy is the main crop on about 99,400 ha and the rainfall is 1,170 mm, among the higher in this batch of districts. Land prices are not published, and most current buyer interest follows acquisition news rather than a market.
Three projects shape the district. About 75 km of the Raxaul–Haldia expressway runs through Banka, with 58 villages in five blocks to be acquired (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026). The gazette for NH-133E, the Bhagalpur–Hansdiha road, covers 16 villages (Prabhat Khabar, 16 Oct 2026). The Sultanganj–Katoria rail line, which crosses Bhagalpur, Banka and Munger, is to start land acquisition from December 2026 (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Sep 2026). A 336 km Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway through 13 districts, including Banka, was cleared by the cabinet on 20 August 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). The cabinet also approved a heliport in Banka on 12 October 2026 (Prabhat Khabar).
For farmland buyers, Banka splits into three working belts. Banka town and Amarpur, with Shambhuganj, are on the expressway and NH-133E corridors. Katoria in the south and Bounsi near the hills are on the planned rail line and road notices. The remaining blocks are paddy farmland with maize and pulses. Land with a clear title away from the notified alignments is the simplest to buy; land inside a notified village needs care.
- Hill-edge plain
- Banka town
- Amarpur
- Katoria
- Bounsi
- Paddy belt
Transaction costs
Stamp duty & registration in Banka
7%
General stamp duty from 19 June 2026, up from 6%
as reported by Prabhat Khabar; confirm at the sub-registrar office
2%
Registration fee on a conveyance deed
as stated in the 2017-18 state audit; confirm the current fee
19 June 2026
Revised MVR in force statewide
urban and peripheral areas doubled, rural raised 60%
Banka follows the state rates. Prabhat Khabar reported that from 19 June 2026 the MVR was doubled in urban and peripheral areas and raised 60% in rural areas, with the general stamp duty at 7% (6% before) and a 0.5 percentage point concession for women buyers (Prabhat Khabar, June 2026). The CAG audit for 2017-18 gives a 2% registration fee (CAG report No. 2 of 2019). The MVR then rises 5% every financial year and is reviewed every three years. Converting farmland to non-farm use outside the urban area adds a fee of 10% of market value (Conversion Act 2010). Our stamp duty guide and MVR guide explain how to look up the rate on Nibandhan.
Know the belt
What is moving prices in Banka
Reported expressway, highway and rail developments; no listing-site prices are used.
Banka, Amarpur and Shambhuganj: expressway blocks
Land acquisition, Jul 2026
Banka town is the district headquarters and, with Amarpur and Shambhuganj, one of the blocks where 3A notification reports for 29 villages have been received (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026). The expressway covers about 75 km of the district, so a large share of farmland near these blocks is exposed to acquisition.
Check: the village list, the 3A and 3D notification status, and the plot’s distance from the alignment.
Barahat, Banka and Bounsi: NH-133E
Gazette notice, Oct 2026
The NH-133E notice covers 573 plots in 16 villages of the Barahat, Banka and Bounsi talukas, about 43.6 ha of residential and double-crop land between km 36.600 and km 63.630 (Prabhat Khabar, 16 Oct 2026). Roadside plots within the notified villages need extra care.
Check: the gazette village and plot list, and the share of the plot inside the notified width.
Katoria and the rail line
Land acquisition from December 2026
The Sultanganj–Katoria rail line crosses Bhagalpur, Banka and Munger, with land acquisition planned from December after a re-survey forced by the proposed Sultanganj airport (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Sep 2026). Land along the route will be acquired at government-fixed compensation.
Check: the final survey line, acquisition notices, and mutation history.
Paddy farm blocks south and west
Rice country
Away from the corridors, the district is paddy farmland on fine sandy loam and clay. ICAR-CRIDA records paddy on about 99,400 ha and maize on about 12,600 ha (ICAR-CRIDA). Irrigation depends mostly on canals and wells.
Check: the irrigation source, soil type, and mutation history.
Asking prices
We found no newspaper or official price series for Banka farmland, so no price band is shown. Use the MVR and registered deeds.
Connectivity
How Banka connects — road, rail and air
Highway and rail projects with land acquisition under way. Drive times are not given because no source was found.
🚗 By road
✈️ By air
🚆 By rail
No drive times are given because we found no source for them. The Sultanganj–Banka line was reported approved by the Union government (Prabhat Khabar).
Growth catalysts
Upcoming infrastructure & developments
Status labels reflect sources read in November 2026. Government-announced timelines are not guaranteed; items with a single or older source say so.
00Open
04Catalysts
Agriculture & terrain
Soil, crops & water in Banka
Crop areas, soils and rainfall from the ICAR-CRIDA district contingency plan.
Crops
Paddy is the main crop on about 99,400 ha, followed by maize on 12,600 ha and pigeonpea on 5,100 ha (ICAR-CRIDA). Net sown area is about 152,300 ha and the cropping intensity is 106%, lower than in most neighbouring districts, so many fields grow a single crop a year.
- Paddy first, then maize
- Paddy on about 99,400 ha
- Maize on about 12,600 ha
- Pigeonpea on about 5,100 ha
- Cropping intensity 106%
Soils
ICAR-CRIDA puts fine sandy loam on 38.5% of the district, clay on 35.3%, coarse sandy loam on 14% and sandy soil on 12.3%.
- Fine sandy loam on 38.5% of the area
- Clay on 35.3%
- South Bihar Alluvial Plain zone (NARP BI-3)
- Eastern Plain, hot subhumid
Horticulture
Cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, onion and brinjal are the main vegetables in the plan’s table, and the plan does not give a clear fruit area. Horticulture is a small share of farmland.
- Vegetables on small areas
- Cauliflower, cabbage and tomato
Water and irrigation
About 115,000 ha is net irrigated, with canals the largest source in the plan’s table, followed by bore wells and open wells (ICAR-CRIDA). Check the canal outlet and well access for the plot.
Rainfall and flooding
Normal annual rainfall is 1,170 mm, of which 904 mm falls from June to September (ICAR-CRIDA).
At a glance
Patna vs. nearby districts
| District | Land and water | What links it to Patna |
|---|---|---|
| Bhagalpur (north) | Ganga plain with banana and mango; Bhagalpur is at the start of NH-133E and also on the Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway route. | The NH-133E first-phase land in Banka’s Rajaun block (25 villages, 33.57 ha) was gazetted in 2024 (Prabhat Khabar, Aug 2024). |
| Munger (north-west) | Shares the Sultanganj–Katoria rail line and the expressway route with Banka. | Land acquisition for the rail line is set to begin from December 2026 (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Sep 2026). |
No price series is shown for any district because none is sourced. Banka figures are from ICAR-CRIDA and Prabhat Khabar. Compare the MVR for each mauza before assuming land across a district line is cheaper.
Farmland India view
Why investors look at Banka
What the expressway, the highway notices and the new government rate mean for a buyer.
An expressway with acquisition under way
The Raxaul–Haldia expressway needs land in 58 Banka villages (Prabhat Khabar). Owners are paid government-fixed compensation, and land beside the road may gain access but may not be priced as development land.
A highway with notices already issued
The NH-133E gazette lists 573 plots in 16 villages (Prabhat Khabar). Buy only with the gazette list in hand.
A higher government floor
The June 2026 revision doubled urban and raised village government rates by about 60%, with stamp duty reported at 7% (Prabhat Khabar). Budget the duty on the higher of the deed value and the MVR.
Single-crop paddy land
Cropping intensity is only 106% (ICAR-CRIDA), so farm income depends on paddy and a rain-dependent season. A plot with a canal outlet is worth more than a rain-fed one for farming.
Farm returns come from paddy and maize
About 99,400 ha is under paddy and 12,600 ha under maize (ICAR-CRIDA). Check irrigation and soil before you assume two crops a year.
Confirm Jamabandi, mutation, zoning and acquisition status directly — these are not certified by Farmland India’s review.
STRAIGHT TALK
Risks & challenges in Banka
District-specific risks. Read the state page for the general Bihar risks on ceiling, conversion and records.
Acquisition and notification uncertainty
Prabhat Khabar reports acquisition for the expressway in 58 villages and for NH-133E in 16 villages (Raxaul–Haldia, NH-133E). Acquired land is paid at government-fixed compensation.
Rail line and airport interactions
The Sultanganj–Katoria rail route was re-surveyed because land went to the proposed Sultanganj airport (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Sep 2026). Plans can shift again, so treat any rail-side price as speculative.
Low crop intensity and rain dependence
Cropping intensity of 106% and a paddy-heavy crop pattern mean that rain failure hurts (ICAR-CRIDA). The plan lists drought and flood among the district hazards.
Special survey in progress
Bihar’s special survey is targeted for December 2027 (Prabhat Khabar, 11 Mar 2026). Records may change as the survey reaches the mauza, so check the survey stage and any pending corrections.
Mismatched records
Old Khatiyan, digitised Jamabandi and the special survey's new records may not agree on area or owners. Compare all three with the physical plot and check the map before you pay (Bhu Naksha guide).
Joint family land
Unpartitioned land sold by one brother or heir can be challenged by the others. Ask for a partition deed or the written consent of every heir, and read the mutation history.
Colonies on farmland
Plotted colonies on agricultural land without conversion or an approved layout can leave buyers with plots they cannot legally build on or get a power connection for.
Under-valued deeds
Registering below the revised MVR invites a deficit-duty demand and penalties. Pay duty on the real value and keep payment records through banks.
Who to contact
Local revenue & planning offices
The Collectorate at Banka, under the District Magistrate, runs the district. The sub-divisional officer at Banka and the Anchal (circle) offices in the blocks handle mutation, conversion and survey claims, and registration is done at the sub-registry offices listed on the Nibandhan portal. The District Land Acquisition Office handles expressway and highway claims. Official pages: Bihar Bhumi and Parimarjan.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore more areas
Other districts in Bihar
- Araria
- Arwal
- Aurangabad
- Begusarai
- Bhagalpur
- Bhojpur
- Buxar
- Darbhanga
- East Champaran
- Gaya Ji (gaya)
- Gopalganj
- Jamui
- Jehanabad
- Kaimur (bhabua)
- Katihar
- Khagaria
- Kishanganj
- Lakhisarai
- Madhepura
- Madhubani
- Munger
- Muzaffarpur
- Nalanda
- Nawada
- Patna
- Purnia
- Rohtas
- Saharsa
- Samastipur
- Saran
- Sheikhpura
- Sheohar
- Sitamarhi
- Siwan
- Supaul
- Vaishali
- West Champaran
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Everything buyers, NRIs and investors ask before their first reviewed farmland purchase in Banka.
Visit full wiki01 of 04
Is there a price guide for farmland in Banka?
We found no newspaper or official price series for Banka farmland, so none is shown. Check the Minimum Value Register for the mauza and land category and compare it with recent registered deeds in the same village before you negotiate.
02 of 04
How much of Banka is affected by the Raxaul–Haldia expressway?
Prabhat Khabar reported on 30 July 2026 that about 75 km of the expressway passes through Banka and that land in 58 villages of five blocks is to be acquired, with 3A notification reports received for 29 villages of Shambhuganj, Amarpur and Banka blocks. Check the village list before you buy.
03 of 04
Is NH-133E being widened in Banka?
Yes. Prabhat Khabar reported on 16 October 2026 that a gazette notice covers 573 plots in 16 villages of the Barahat, Banka and Bounsi talukas, about 43.6 ha, for NH-133E between km 36.600 and km 63.630.
04 of 04
Can an NRI buy agricultural land in Banka?
No. Under FEMA an NRI or OCI cannot buy agricultural land, a plantation or a farmhouse in India, and Bihar’s rules on agricultural land apply as on the state page. Resident Indian buyers should confirm title through Jamabandi and mutation records.
Transparency
Sources and references
Law and courts
- https://indiankanoon.org/doc/8008488/
- https://saiindia.gov.in/uploads/download_audit_report/2019/Chapter_5_Stamp_and_Registration_Fees_of_Report_No_2_of_2019_Revenue_Sector_Government_of_Bihar.pdf
Government
- https://www.icar-crida.res.in/CP/Bihar/BR11_Banka_28.12.203.pdf
- https://biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in/
- https://parimarjan.bihar.gov.in
- https://nibandhan.bihar.gov.in/Eservices.aspx
News
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bihar-land-registry-new-rate-bihar-land-registry-new-rules-mvr-rate-doubled-stamp-duty-increased
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/raxaul-haldia-greenfield-expressway-banka-land-acquisition-58-villages-bihar-project-latest-update
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/patna/exprssway-in-bihar-land-acquired-for-raxaul-haldia-six-lane-bridge-built-on-ganga-river
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bhagalpur/bhagalpur-hansdiha-nh-133e-banka-land-acquisition-gazette-notification
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bhagalpur/sultanganj-katoria-railway-line-land-acquisition-starts-december-budget-3000-crore
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bihar-cabinet-approved-5-new-airports-9-heliports-free-pickup-drop-2027-holiday-calendar
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/patna/bihar-bhumi-vijay-sinha-meeting-officials-march-13-announced-deadline-completing-land-survey
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/buxar-bhagalpur-336-km-6-lane-greenfield-expressway-13-districts-travel-time-industrial-corridor
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bhagalpur/33-57-hectares-of-land-of-25-villages-will-be-acquired
Further reading
- /locations/bihar
- /wiki/land-records-documentation/bihar-bhumi-jamabandi-online
- /wiki/land-records-documentation/dakhil-kharij-bihar-mutation-status
- /wiki/taxation-stamp-duty-registration/mvr-rate-bihar
Data-currency note: sources were read in November 2026. Project status, the MVR and township rules change often; check the linked source and the relevant office before relying on any figure.
For developers
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