Cabinet okays regularisation of grazing land tilled by farmers

 The state Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for regularisation of grazing land being cultivated by farmers. If all the 3.4 lakh applications seeking the regularisation are approved, 11 lakh acres of land being cultivated illegally will be regularised.

Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the meeting that suitable amendments will be made to rules to provide ownership rights to farmers engaged in cultivation on ‘bagair hukum’ land (government land used for cultivation), even if it includes parcels of gomala land (grazing land).

At present, ownership rights cannot be given if farmers are cultivating on grazing land. As many as 3.4 lakh applications for regularisation are pending before bagair hukum committees headed by MLAs at the Assembly constituency level, for regularisation of 11 lakh acres.

“Most of the applications have been kept pending as the land sought to be regularised has parcels of gomala land. We have decided to relax the rules to expedite the process of providing ownership rights to farmers,” Jayachandra said. However, a maximum of four acres 38 guntas per family can be regularised.

The government has already instructed officials to grant ownership rights to farmers who have been cultivating forest land. However, the upper limit of land holding is three acres. The Cabinet gave its nod for downsizing the cost of the Higher Education Academy, coming up in Dharwad, for providing training to first grade college lecturers. As per the original estimate, the academy was to come up at a cost of Rs 166 crore, but the Cabinet felt it was too high and revised the estimate to Rs 90 crore, Jayachandra said.

Compulsory retirement for Rs 2k bribe

The state Cabinet on Wednesday accepted the recommendation of the Lokayukta on two government employees who were caught accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 in 2005. Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the Cabinet decided to compulsorily retire Dr Basappa, presently working at community health centre in Chikkaballapur and to permanently withhold 50% pension payable to Abdul Ravoof, who retired as an assistant attached to a primary health centre in Yadgir.

Other approvals

Govt to recommend premature release of 188 prisoners to Governor on Republic Day on basis of good conduct

 State to release additional Rs 349 crore as its share for Bidar-Kalaburagi railway line.

Bidar-Kalaburagi line to be over by March-end this year

Approval for purchase of books for 6,778 public libraries at Rs 19 crore and for government PU colleges at Rs 6.5 crore

Approval for purchase of uniforms for anganwadi workers at Rs 7.54 crore

Approval for purchase of medical kits for anganwadi beneficiaries at Rs 6.4 crore