Land conversion: Karnataka OKs 1-month deadline plan

Conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use will now happen within a month as the government has decided to simplify the process.

The Cabinet, on Wednesday, approved a proposal to adopt a single-window system in which the Revenue department will receive one application that will be common to seek clearances from various stakeholders. If the application is not disposed of, or reasons for rejection are not stated within a month, the conversion request will be considered approved.

At present, an applicant seeking land conversion has to submit about 20 documents to obtain no-objection certificates under the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, Karnataka Land Reforms Act, Tenancy Act and so on.

Under the new system, an applicant has to submit the current record of rights, tenancy and crops (RTC), a copy of the mutation record, a 11E sketch (only if the land conversion request falls within the same survey number) and an affidavit.

“The land acquisition process is very rigid. It has become a challenge for the government to acquire land for industries. Conversion of land is necessary for industries. Although this process was simplified four years ago, it remains cumbersome leading to misuse of power, causing harassment for both farmers and industries,” Law Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

This is another of several reforms Karnataka has announced to improve ease of doing business, on which it is currently ranked eighth in the country behind the likes of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Haryana.

Conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use such as industry, solar energy, tourism, housing and other infrastructure is done under Section 95(2) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.

Apparently, conversion of agricultural land takes up to one year in some cases. “We see the process taking not less than a year even when the podi (sketch) of the land is ready,” Gowda said.

Under the proposed single-window system, the Revenue department will have to get clearances from various agencies/authorities concerned within a month, a departure from the existing system in which an applicant has to approach different departments separately, he said.