Replying to a question by Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath in the Assembly, the Minister said hundreds of applications submitted under the scheme have been pending before the government for several years. The then government had, in 1999, invited applications from farmers who were unauthorisedly cultivating land for regularisation under the scheme, in Bangalore urban district. But, the subsequent governments did not implement the scheme in the district. In the meanwhile, in 2007, the government formed the BBMP by extending the Corporation limits manifold. As per section 94 A (4) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, any unauthorised use of government land located within 18 km distance of a City Corporation cannot be regularised, he explained.
The Akrama-Sakrama scheme was first introduced in 1991 in the State. He, however, said he will soon hold a meeting with Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and Law Minister Suresh Kumar in this regard and take an appropriate decision in the interest of genuine farmers who are conducting farming activities on government land for many decades. The Minister said Bangalore was growing very rapidly. There is growing demand for basic amenities and infrastructure facilities by the residents. The government needs to keep this issue in mind before taking any decision, he added.
