Image for representation showing farmland.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: The government has exempted renewable energy projects and small-scale industries from obtaining prior permission to start operating on agricultural land, in a big ease-of-doing-business reform.
The government is also giving effect to auto-conversion of farmlands for non-agricultural use if they come under a master plan in urban areas.
These reforms are under the newly-notified Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Rules.
"This is the largest revision in decades. These are pro-people initiatives and ease of governance is the driving force," Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said.
Any person holding land being used for agricultural purposes had to apply with the deputy commissioner for permission to divert it for non-agricultural use.
This was widely considered as a corrupt and cumbersome process.
Now, establishing a new industry on agricultural land up to two acres will not require conversion.
"This will apply to small-scale and agro-based industries," Gowda said.
Similarly, renewable energy projects -- solar, wind, hybrid, energy storage, biomass and waste-to-energy -- will not need conversion.
The process of converting agricultural land for non-agricultural use is being taken online, for which the government is developing a software.
Applicants can apply online for auto-conversion.
For agricultural lands governed by a master plan, the government is doing away with conversion.
Deputy commissioners will have to issue the conversion orders within 30 days from application.
Otherwise, it is "deemed to be provisionally approved", the rules state.
In an earlier interview to DH, Gowda gave the example of an agricultural land that falls under a residential zone in a master plan.
"That land gets automatically converted for residential use. You want to form a layout? Apply for a layout approval directly. At present, even if the land is in a residential zone, you have to get it converted. We want to eliminate this step," he had said.
Misusing the land-conversion relaxations will result in a penalty of Rs 1 lakh and an additional fine of Rs 2,500 for each day’s violation.
"...such penalty and additional penalty shall be entered into the Record of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops (RTC) as an encumbrance," the new rules state.
Highlights - Relaxed rules * Establishing new industry on agri land up to 2 acres will not require conversion * Auto-conversion of farmlands located in urban masterplan * Process of converting agri land for non-agri use being taken online * DCs must issue conversion orders within 30 days from application