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District guide
Buying Land in Bhagalpur
A Ganga-plain city district with a Sultanganj airport plan, a Vikramshila township ban lifted in October, a Buxar expressway nod and flood-hit land.
2,482 sq km
Area (ICAR-CRIDA)
1,208 mm
Normal annual rainfall
125%
Cropping intensity
931 acres
Airport land planned
District land record — Bhagalpur
Rev. 2026 · Farmland India desk
State
Bihar
Sub-divisions
Blocks include Nathnagar, Sabour, Goradih, Shahkund and Sultanganj, named in Prabhat Khabar reports (Prabhat Khabar, 12 Sep 2026). ICAR-CRIDA records about 2,482 sq km (ICAR-CRIDA).
Key markets
Bhagalpur city · Sultanganj · Sabour · Nathnagar
Demand anchors
The cabinet lifted the ban on land sales in the Vikramshila township area on 29 October 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). A Sultanganj airport on 931 acres was approved (Prabhat Khabar, 3 Oct 2025), and a Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway was cleared by the cabinet (Prabhat Khabar, 20 Aug 2026).
Rail
Bhagalpur Junction; the Sultanganj–Katoria line is planned.
Size and population
About 2,482 sq km, of which about 153,600 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.
Bhagalpur — 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
Bhagalpur — district-specific notes
The Bihar state page applies to Bhagalpur 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.
⚠ Township land rules have changed repeatedly. The government barred sales, transfers and building in the Vikramshila township area in April 2026, reimposed the bar in July until 30 June 2027 (Prabhat Khabar, 17 Jul 2026), and the cabinet lifted it with immediate effect on 29 October 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). Once the township plan is notified, land use and building must follow it, so check the plan before you buy or build.
⚠ Flood and waterlogging. Floodwater reached Nathnagar, Sabour, Goradih, Shahkund and Sultanganj in September 2026, including the proposed airport land and the township area, and some buyers asked for token money back (Prabhat Khabar, 12 Sep 2026). Ask for the plot’s flood history and check low-lying and river-side land with particular care.
⚠ 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 Bhagalpur 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, and it does not apply in municipal or notified urban areas, such as Bhagalpur city, 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.
- Township ban lifted Oct 2026
- Flood-hit areas
- MVR revised 2026
- Special survey to 2027 (reported)
- Airport land plan
District overview
Bhagalpur — a capital district with a new metro, a second airport and a Tal farm belt
Bhagalpur is a Ganga-plain district of about 2,482 sq km, with fine sandy loam on 30% and clay on 23% of its area and 1,208 mm of normal rainfall (ICAR-CRIDA contingency plan). It is the commercial city of eastern Bihar, and the farmland around it grows maize, rice and wheat, with mango, banana and litchi orchards. Buyer interest is largely about the township and airport plans, which are the district’s unsettled questions.
The cabinet lifted the ban on land sales in the Vikramshila greenfield satellite township area on 29 October 2026, after a bar imposed in April and reimposed in July (Prabhat Khabar). The cabinet approved a greenfield airport at Sultanganj on 931 acres, with Rs 472.72 crore for land (Prabhat Khabar, 3 Oct 2025), and a 336 km Buxar–Bhagalpur six-lane expressway through 13 districts (Prabhat Khabar, 20 Aug 2026). The Sultanganj–Katoria rail line is set for land acquisition from December 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). Floodwater reached the airport and township sites in September 2026 (Prabhat Khabar).
For farmland buyers, Bhagalpur splits into three working belts. Bhagalpur city, Sabour and Nathnagar form the urban and township edge, where bans and zoning matter. Sultanganj and Goradih are the airport and river-bank belt, with high flood exposure. The other blocks are maize, paddy and mango farmland. Land with a clear title outside the township area and above the flood line is the simplest to buy.
- Ganga plain
- Bhagalpur city
- Sultanganj
- Sabour and Nathnagar
- Mango and maize belt
- Vikramshila township
Transaction costs
Stamp duty & registration in Bhagalpur
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%
Bhagalpur 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 Bhagalpur
Reported township, airport, expressway and flood developments; no listing-site prices are used.
Vikramshila township area
Ban lifted, 29 Oct 2026
The government barred purchase, sale, transfer and building in the township core and extended planning areas in April 2026, reimposed the bar in July until 30 June 2027 (Prabhat Khabar, 17 Jul 2026), and the cabinet lifted it with immediate effect on 29 October 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). The township is one of eleven planned in Bihar, and development will follow the notified plan and its control rules.
Check: whether the township plan is notified, whether the mauza is in the core or extended area, and the registered-deed history since April 2026.
Sultanganj and Goradih: the airport side
Airport approved, flood-hit
The cabinet approved 931 acres at Sultanganj for a greenfield airport with Rs 472.72 crore for land (Prabhat Khabar, 3 Oct 2025). Floodwater reached the proposed site in September 2026, which raised questions about it (Prabhat Khabar, 12 Sep 2026). Land near the site is speculative.
Check: whether acquisition notices exist, the plot’s flood history, and the Jamabandi area.
Sabour and Nathnagar: the city edge
Flooded in 2026
These blocks are among the fastest-developing areas around Bhagalpur and were waterlogged in September 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). Some buyers who had paid advances asked for refunds. Land that was sold as prime location may still hold water, so inspect it in the monsoon.
Check: the monsoon flood record, the drainage outlet, and mutation history.
Shahkund and the northern farm blocks
Maize, paddy and mango
Away from the city and river edge the district is maize, paddy and mango farmland. ICAR-CRIDA records mango on about 7,200 ha, banana on 1,000 ha and litchi on 400 ha (ICAR-CRIDA). Saline or calcareous soil covers 13.6% of the district.
Check: the soil type, irrigation source, and mutation history.
Asking prices
We found no newspaper or official price series for Bhagalpur farmland, so no price band is shown. Use the MVR and registered deeds.
Connectivity
How Bhagalpur connects — road, rail and air
Expressway, highway and rail projects, and an airport plan on flood-prone land. 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. Prabhat Khabar says the Katoria line was re-surveyed after the airport site took part of the earlier alignment.
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 Bhagalpur
Soils, rainfall and horticulture from the ICAR-CRIDA district contingency plan.
Crops
Maize, rice and wheat are the main field crops, and ICAR-CRIDA records rice on about 55,100 ha and wheat on about 49,800 ha (ICAR-CRIDA). Net sown area is about 153,600 ha and the cropping intensity is 125%.
- Rice, wheat and maize
- Rice on about 55,100 ha
- Wheat on about 49,800 ha
- Lentil on about 3,500 ha
- Blackgram on about 1,300 ha
Soils
ICAR-CRIDA puts fine sandy loam on 30% of the district, clay on 23.4%, coarse sandy loam on 19.2%, sandy soil on 13.8% and saline or calcareous soil on 13.6%.
- Fine sandy loam on 30% of the area
- Clay on 23.4%
- South Bihar Alluvial Plain zone (NARP BI-3)
- Eastern Plain, hot subhumid
Horticulture
Mango is the largest orchard crop on about 7,200 ha, with banana (1,000 ha) and litchi (400 ha) smaller. Orchard land near the Ganga is exposed to flood.
- Mango on about 7,200 ha
- Banana on about 1,000 ha
Water and irrigation
The plan lists six canals, four tanks and 35 open wells and 26 bore wells, with gross irrigated area about 54,000 ha, so much of the net sown land depends on rain and wells (ICAR-CRIDA).
Rainfall and flooding
Normal annual rainfall is 1,208 mm, of which 992 mm falls in the monsoon season (ICAR-CRIDA).
At a glance
Patna vs. nearby districts
| District | Land and water | What links it to Patna |
|---|---|---|
| Banka (south) | Hill-edge plain, paddy-heavy with 106% cropping intensity; shares NH-133E and the Sultanganj–Katoria rail line. | Raxaul–Haldia expressway and NH-133E land acquisition are under way in Banka (Prabhat Khabar, 30 Jul 2026). |
| Munger (west) | Shares the Sultanganj–Katoria rail line with Bhagalpur and Banka; the Munger–Sabour Ganga Path links to Bhagalpur. | Land acquisition for the rail line is set for December 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). |
No price series is shown for any district because none is sourced. Bhagalpur 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 Bhagalpur
What the township ban, the airport plan, the flood and the new government rate mean for a buyer.
A township area whose rules keep changing
The ban on sales was imposed, relaxed, reimposed and lifted within seven months (Prabhat Khabar, 29 Oct 2026). Once the plan is notified, use and construction will follow it. Buy only after you have the notified plan and the registry record.
An airport on flood-prone land
The cabinet approved 931 acres at Sultanganj (Prabhat Khabar), but floodwater reached the site in September 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). Buyers nearby are betting on a project whose site is still questioned.
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.
Flood-free land is scarce
Nathnagar, Sabour, Goradih, Shahkund and Sultanganj all saw water in September 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). A plot that stays dry in a dry year may flood in a wet one.
Farm returns come from maize, paddy and mango
ICAR-CRIDA records mango on about 7,200 ha with rice and wheat on about 55,100 and 49,800 ha (ICAR-CRIDA). Cropping intensity is 125%.
Confirm Jamabandi, mutation, zoning and acquisition status directly — these are not certified by Farmland India’s review.
STRAIGHT TALK
Risks & challenges in Bhagalpur
District-specific risks. Read the state page for the general Bihar risks on ceiling, conversion and records.
Township plan and rule changes
The township plan and development control rules are still to be notified (Prabhat Khabar). A plot you buy now may later fall under restrictions on use or building, so check the plan when it is published.
Flood and waterlogging
Floodwater reached several fast-growing blocks in September 2026, including the proposed airport and township areas (Prabhat Khabar). Ask for the monsoon flood record of the mauza.
Airport and expressway uncertainty
The airport site has moved before (Goradih and Sultanganj were both proposed) and was flood-hit in 2026. The Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway has cabinet approval but no reported land acquisition (Prabhat Khabar).
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 Bhagalpur, under the District Magistrate, runs the district. The sub-divisional officers 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. Official pages: Bihar Bhumi and Parimarjan.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore more areas
Other districts in Bihar
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- Gopalganj
- Jamui
- Jehanabad
- Kaimur (bhabua)
- Katihar
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- Madhubani
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- 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 Bhagalpur.
Visit full wiki01 of 04
Is there a price guide for farmland in Bhagalpur?
We found no newspaper or official price series for Bhagalpur 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
Can I buy land in the Vikramshila township area?
Prabhat Khabar reported on 29 October 2026 that the cabinet lifted, with immediate effect, the ban on buying, selling and transferring land in the satellite townships. The ban had been imposed in April 2026 and reimposed in July. Use and construction will follow the township plan once notified, so check the plan and the registry for the mauza before you sign.
03 of 04
Is the Sultanganj airport going ahead?
The Bihar cabinet approved a greenfield airport at Sultanganj on 931 acres with Rs 472.72 crore for land acquisition, as reported on 3 October 2025. Prabhat Khabar reported in September 2026 that floodwater reached the proposed airport site, so check the current status before relying on it.
04 of 04
Can an NRI buy agricultural land in Bhagalpur?
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://icar-crida.res.in/CP/Bihar/BR13_Bhagalpur_28.12.2013.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/greenfield-satellite-township-ban-on-land-sale-lifted-bihar-cabinet-decision
- 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/bhagalpur/vikramshila-greenfield-satellite-township-land-ban-bhagalpur
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bhagalpur/bihar-cabinet-approves-472-crore-for-bhagalpur-greenfield-airport-931-acre-land-aquisition
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/sultanganj-airport-vikramshila-satellite-township-in-trouble-due-to-bhagalpur-flood-land-waterlogged
- 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
- 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/patna/exprssway-in-bihar-land-acquired-for-raxaul-haldia-six-lane-bridge-built-on-ganga-river
- 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/raxaul-haldia-greenfield-expressway-banka-land-acquisition-58-villages-bihar-project-latest-update
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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