.png){kind=logo}
District guide
Buying Land in Bhojpur
A Son-and-Ganga canal district west of Patna, with an Ara–Ballia Ganga bridge tender, a Buxar expressway nod and Ara–Sasaram rail doubling.
2,337 sq km
Area (ICAR-CRIDA)
1,028 mm
Normal annual rainfall
61%
Canal share of irrigation
142%
Cropping intensity
District land record — Bhojpur
Rev. 2026 · Farmland India desk
State
Bihar
Sub-divisions
Ara is the district headquarters, with Koilwar on the Son and Mahuli on the Ganga named in Prabhat Khabar reports (Prabhat Khabar, 28 Jul 2026). ICAR-CRIDA records about 2,337 sq km (ICAR-CRIDA).
Key markets
Ara town · Koilwar · Mahuli · Jagdishpur
Demand anchors
NHAI issued a tender on 3 July 2026 for a 27 km, Rs 1,564 crore Ara–Bairia four-lane road with a Mahuli Ganga bridge (Prabhat Khabar, 28 Jul 2026). A 336 km Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway that includes Bhojpur was cleared by the cabinet (Prabhat Khabar, 20 Aug 2026).
Rail
Ara Junction; Ara–Sasaram line doubling has begun survey and land acquisition.
Size and population
About 2,337 sq km, of which about 175,100 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.
Bhojpur — 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
Bhojpur — district-specific notes
The Bihar state page applies to Bhojpur 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.
⚠ Land on live alignments. Prabhat Khabar reports a tender for the Ara–Bairia four-lane road and Mahuli Ganga bridge (Prabhat Khabar, 28 Jul 2026), land acquisition and survey for Ara–Sasaram rail doubling (Prabhat Khabar, 10 Feb 2026) and a Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway (Prabhat Khabar, 20 Aug 2026). Ask the circle office whether the mauza is on any list before you pay an advance.
⚠ Ganga and Son river land. The district lies between the Ganga and the Son, and ICAR-CRIDA gives flood and drought the most detailed contingency planning (ICAR-CRIDA). Ask for the plot’s flood history, and check river-side and low-lying land with 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 Ara 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 officers, and it does not apply in municipal or notified urban areas, such as Ara, 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.
- Ganga bridge tender
- MVR revised 2026
- Special survey to 2027 (reported)
- Expressway alignment
- Rail doubling
District overview
Bhojpur — a capital district with a new metro, a second airport and a Tal farm belt
Bhojpur is a canal-irrigated district of about 2,337 sq km between the Ganga and the Son, immediately west of Patna (ICAR-CRIDA contingency plan). Clay covers 67.6% of the district, 175,100 ha is net sown, and rice and wheat each cover about 80,000 to 82,000 ha. Canals serve about 61% of the irrigated area and private tubewells about 36%. The district is large, flat and mostly farming.
Most news is about connectivity. NHAI issued a tender on 3 July 2026 for the 27.062 km Ara–Bairia four-lane road, with a four-lane Mahuli Ganga bridge, at Rs 1,564 crore (Prabhat Khabar, 28 Jul 2026). Land acquisition and survey for doubling the Ara–Sasaram line began in early 2026 (Prabhat Khabar, 10 Feb 2026). A Patna–Ara–Sasaram NH-119A expressway of about 118 km, with a three-km Son bridge between Arwal and Bhojpur, was reported in April 2024 to be in the final stage of land acquisition (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Apr 2024). A 336 km Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway through 13 districts that include Bhojpur was cleared by the cabinet on 20 August 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). The cabinet also approved the Vishwamitra Path, a Buxar–Ara–Manair Ganga Path road project, as reported on 29 October 2026 (Prabhat Khabar).
For farmland buyers, Bhojpur splits into three working belts. Ara town and the nearby Mahuli and Koilwar sides carry the bridge, road and expressway land risk. The Son and Ganga edges are flood-exposed and often saline. The interior blocks are canal-fed paddy and wheat country. Land with a clear title away from the alignments is the simplest to buy.
- Son and Ganga plain
- Ara town
- Koilwar
- Mahuli
- Paddy and wheat belt
- Near Patna
Transaction costs
Stamp duty & registration in Bhojpur
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%
Bhojpur 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 Bhojpur
Reported bridge, expressway and rail developments; no listing-site prices are used.
Ara town and the Mahuli bridge side
Tender issued, Jul 2026
Ara is the district headquarters. The Ara–Bairia four-lane road starts at Jeen Baba Sthan in Bairia (Uttar Pradesh), crosses the Ganga at Mahuli ghat and joins NH-922 near Ara (Prabhat Khabar, 28 Jul 2026). Land near the route carries the most acquisition uncertainty.
Check: the final alignment of the road and approach, whether the plot is inside the municipal area, and the circle office record of acquisition notices.
Koilwar and the Son-side land
Expressway reported, 2024
The Patna–Ara–Sasaram NH-119A expressway was reported in 2024 to bypass Ara city and cross the Son between Arwal and Bhojpur on a three-km bridge (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Apr 2024). We found no later report of construction, so check the alignment with NHAI.
Check: the NH-119A alignment, the Son-side flood history, and mutation history.
Ara–Sasaram rail corridor
Doubling in progress, 2026
Land acquisition and survey for doubling the Ara–Sasaram line started in early 2026 (Prabhat Khabar, 10 Feb 2026). Villages along the line are the ones to check.
Check: the village list for the doubling, acquisition notices, and the plot’s distance from the line.
Interior canal-fed farm blocks
Paddy, wheat and pulses
The interior blocks are canal-fed paddy and wheat country with chickpea, pea and lentil as pulses. ICAR-CRIDA records rice on 82,300 ha, wheat on 80,500 ha and chickpea on 20,500 ha (ICAR-CRIDA).
Check: the canal distributary, the water release record, and mutation history.
Asking prices
We found no newspaper or official price series for Bhojpur farmland, so no price band is shown. Use the MVR and registered deeds.
Connectivity
How Bhojpur connects — road, rail and air
Ganga bridge, expressway 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.
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 Bhojpur
Soils, rainfall and irrigation from the ICAR-CRIDA district contingency plan.
Crops
Rice is the main kharif crop on about 82,300 ha, with wheat on 80,500 ha in rabi and chickpea (20,500 ha), pea (14,700 ha) and lentil (12,000 ha) as the main pulses (ICAR-CRIDA). Net sown area is about 175,100 ha and cropping intensity is 142%.
- Rice and wheat
- Rice on about 82,300 ha
- Wheat on about 80,500 ha
- Chickpea on about 20,500 ha
- Mustard on about 10,100 ha
Soils
ICAR-CRIDA puts clayey soil on 67.6% of the district, fine sandy loam on 21.8%, saline or calcareous soil on 6.1% and coarse sandy loam on 3.5%.
- Clayey soil on 67.6% of the area
- Fine sandy loam on 21.8%
- South Bihar Alluvial Plain zone (NARP BI-3)
- Middle Gangetic Plain, hot subhumid
Horticulture
Potato is grown on about 5,200 ha and vegetables on 6,800 ha. The plan mentions mango and guava but gives no fruit area, so horticulture is a small share of farmland.
- Potato on about 5,200 ha
- Vegetables on about 6,800 ha
Water and irrigation
About 100,400 ha is net irrigated: canals serve about 60.6% and private tubewells about 36.1% (ICAR-CRIDA). Rainfed area is about 74,700 ha. The plan leaves its groundwater category table blank.
Rainfall and flooding
Normal annual rainfall is 1,028 mm, of which 906 mm falls from June to September (ICAR-CRIDA).
At a glance
Patna vs. nearby districts
| District | Land and water | What links it to Patna |
|---|---|---|
| Buxar (west) | Same Ganga plain farming, with rice on about 109,400 ha and wheat on 81,500 ha; normal rainfall 992 mm. | Both districts are on the Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway route (Prabhat Khabar, 20 Aug 2026). |
| Arwal (east, across the Son) | Smaller and well irrigated by wells and tubewells; Arwal’s own NH-139 land surveys cover 17 mauzas. | The reported NH-119A Son bridge links Arwal and Bhojpur (Prabhat Khabar, 22 Apr 2024). |
No price series is shown for any district because none is sourced. Bhojpur 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 Bhojpur
What the bridge, the expressways, the rail doubling and the new government rate mean for a buyer.
A Ganga bridge that has only been tendered
The Ara–Bairia road and Mahuli bridge reached the tender stage in July 2026 (Prabhat Khabar). Construction has not begun, and land near the approach is still speculative until the contractor is appointed.
Expressways that are still routes
The Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway has cabinet approval (Prabhat Khabar), and the Patna–Ara–Sasaram expressway was reported in 2024 to be awaiting construction (Prabhat Khabar). Land on or near either alignment may be acquired at government-fixed compensation.
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.
Canal access decides farm value
Canals serve about 61% of the irrigated land and tubewells about 36% (ICAR-CRIDA). Ask for the canal distributary name or the tubewell record before you pay for irrigated land.
Farm returns come from paddy and wheat
Rice and wheat each cover 80,000 ha or more, with pulses and mustard following (ICAR-CRIDA). Cropping intensity is 142%, so most land grows 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 Bhojpur
District-specific risks. Read the state page for the general Bihar risks on ceiling, conversion and records.
Acquisition and alignment uncertainty
Prabhat Khabar reports a bridge tender, rail-line land acquisition and an expressway (Mahuli, Ara–Sasaram, Buxar–Bhagalpur). Acquired land is paid at government-fixed compensation, and a notice can reduce the plot you thought you bought.
Flood and river movement
The district sits between the Ganga and the Son, and ICAR-CRIDA gives flood and drought the fullest contingency planning (ICAR-CRIDA). River-side land can change with floods, so check the flood history.
Saline soil and rainfed patches
About 6.1% of the district is saline or calcareous, and about 74,700 ha is rainfed (ICAR-CRIDA). Test the soil and confirm the irrigation source before you buy for farming.
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 Ara, 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
- Araria
- Arwal
- Aurangabad
- Banka
- Begusarai
- Bhagalpur
- 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 Bhojpur.
Visit full wiki01 of 04
Is there a price guide for farmland in Bhojpur?
We found no newspaper or official price series for Bhojpur 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
Which projects affect land in Bhojpur?
Prabhat Khabar reports an NHAI tender for the Rs 1,564 crore, 27 km Ara–Bairia four-lane road with a Mahuli Ganga bridge, land acquisition and survey for doubling the Ara–Sasaram rail line, and a 336 km Buxar–Bhagalpur expressway cleared by the cabinet that includes Bhojpur. Check each plot against the alignments.
03 of 04
Is Bhojpur farmland irrigated?
Largely. ICAR-CRIDA records about 100,400 ha net irrigated, with canals serving about 60.6% and private tubewells about 36.1%. Rainfed area is about 74,700 ha.
04 of 04
Can an NRI buy agricultural land in Bhojpur?
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/BR14_Bhojpur_28.12.2013.pdf
- https://icar-crida.res.in/CP/Bihar/BR15_Buxar_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/bihar-land-registry-new-rate-bihar-land-registry-new-rules-mvr-rate-doubled-stamp-duty-increased
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/arrah/bihar-new-fourlane-1594-crore-aara-ballia-mahuli-ganga-bridge-project-nhai-tender-issued-details
- 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/sasaram/good-news-four-lane-expressway-will-be-built-from-patna-ara-sasaram-end-of-this-year-rjs
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/bhojpur/ara-sasaram-rail-line-doubling-project-survey-land-acquisition-started-bhojpur-rohtas-connectivity-development
- https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/airport-in-bihar-work-report-bihta-airport-14-months-complete-target-march-2027
- 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/greenfield-satellite-township-ban-on-land-sale-lifted-bihar-cabinet-decision
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
Ready to explore Bhojpur farmland?
Browse reviewed projects and individual land parcels across Bhojpur — or if you own land here, list it with platform review and reach serious buyers.