Land bill to go before legislature again

Revenue Minister K S Eshwarappa said on Thursday that the State government would again place the land revenue amendment bill, seeking regularisation of residential houses on government lands which Governor H R Bhardwaj returned to the government recently, before the State legislature and seek its approval.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing development programmes meant for SCs, STs and backward classes, he said that the government would send the bill back to the Governor seeking his assent after debating it in the legislature.

“I am confident that the Governor will give his assent and enable the government to regularise houses,” he said.

The Governor returned the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2012, saying that the policy of regularisation of encroachment of government land would encourage illegal occupation of government land. The amendment would violate principles such as rule of law, he had stated.

Eshwarappa said the legislature had already discussed all issues pertaining to the bill. The government’s only intention was to provide permanent shelter to the poor. Rules would be framed in such a way that there would be no scope for any misuse, he added.

He said that about 34,000 borewells had been drilled across the State under Ganga Kalyana Yojane in the last 10 years. But most of them had not been electrified yet.

Steps would be taken to electrify them with the help of local electricity supply companies, he said.