Owners of revenue land to get khatas

However, the facility will not be extended to private layouts not approved by competent authorities such as BDA, BMRDA and BIAPPA.

For revenue sites, the development charges will be levied primarily on huge DC-converted land space. The charges apply to spaces that are converted into a single commercial or residential property on the outskirts of the City and newly-added to the BBMP. The Palike has fixed the charges based on slabs ranging from 1,200 sqft to 6,000 sqft and above.

At the BBMP Council meeting on Wednesday, amid protests by the Opposition, the Palike passed a resolution urging the State Government to amend the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act to empower the Palike Commissioner to convert revenue land into residential or commercial land.

Reason
The amendment will ensure that the BBMP has the powers to collect development charges from revenue land owners and repay the money to the Bangalore Deputy Commissioner (DC). Already vested with the powers to issue permanent khatha for pre-approved lands, the

BBMP in search of revenue generating possibilities has decided to bring even the non-converted revenue land into it’s tax bracket.

The BBMP passed the resolution in the light of possibility of earning Rs 500 crore if the conversion power is approved. 

“We are looking at accruing the improvement or development charges and submit the conversion charges to the DC. If amended, the revenue land will be converted into residential or commercial properties, but citizens will have to wait for Akrama-Sakrama if any deviations are found in the buildings,” informed Taxation and Finance Committee Chairman P N Sadashiva.

Last month, the BBMP had passed a resolution to collect development charges from DC-converted land amid heated debate and protests over the slabs fixed by the ruling party and the BBMP Revenue Department.

Revoke slabs
The hour-long debate found both Opposition leaders from Congress and JD(S) demanding the revoking of the slabs and slash the minimal rates to Rs 100 per sq metre.
“We had demanded the implementation of a common slab of Rs 100 instead of the variable ones prescribed by the Government. But it seems that in the greed for money the ruling party is all geared up to put more pressure on the citizens,” said a visibly distraught M Nagaraj, Congress leader.

However, the BJP which  has a  brute majority in the Council, flexed its muscles to push the  subjects through.