Auto conversion of land use will be implemented soon: Karnataka minister Krishna Byre Gowda

Belagavi: Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Wednesday informed the Legislative Council that the scheme allowing ‘Auto Conversion’ of land for commercial use would be implemented within a month.

Gowda, replying to a question on the subject by Congress MLC Ramoji Gowda, admitted to a delay in the issuance of the scheme’s final notification, given that the draft notification had been given in September. “We have brought in several amendments to simplify the process of land conversion. We will issue the final notification for the Auto Conversion scheme within a month,” said
Gowda.

The scheme allows landowners to approach the planning authority directly as long as the property is being used for the purpose specified in the master plan. “As and when they approach the local planning authority, the land will be converted. Given that it takes three to four months for completing the process even under the ‘Deemed Conversion’ method, we have decided to stipulate a time limit of 30 days. The concerned Deputy Commissioner must verify the application and consider it within 15 days, with the provision for an additional 15 days to complete the task. On the 30th day from the date of the application’s submission, the certificate of approval must be uploaded online,” Gowda said.

The minister said that landowners needn’t get their land converted if they were using it for renewable energy projects. “They will have to get the Energy Department’s nod, and the system will reflect the land’s conversion,” he added.

Gowda further said that small-scale industries too need not go through the rigmarole of land conversion, and could instead seek direct approval. The Auto Conversion scheme would eliminate the need for middlemen, he added.

Revenue courts

The Congress government is ringing in amendments to rules concerning the functioning of revenue courts, Gowda told the Council. “There were no norms in the existing legislation on the functioning of revenue courts. We are introducing some rules, including one about how a ‘formal inquiry’ is to be defined,” said the minister.