<p>Bengaluru: The Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill to appoint an additional chief secretary-level officer as 'recovery commissioner' for "seizure, attachment, forfeiture of properties derived from illegal mining activities" in the state.</p>.<p>Piloting the Karnataka Appointment of Recovery Commissioner for Seizure and Attachment of Property of Illegal Mining and Proceeds of Crime Bill, Law & Parliamentary Affairs H K Patil said existing laws do not prescribe a structure for the functioning of recovery commissioners. </p>.<p>"Between 2006 and 2011-12, the state saw illegal mining. According to reports by Lokayukta and others, huge amounts of public assets were looted. The police just can't go recover assets. They'd have looted assets worth crores. Punishment isn't enough. Lost assets will have to come back to the exchequer," Patil said. </p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Welfare of migratory shepherds</strong></span></p>.<p>The Assembly also passed the Karnataka Traditional Migratory Shepherds (Welfare Measures and Protection Against Atrocities) Bill. </p>.<p>"There are an estimated 15,000 shepherds. Of them, 5,000 are registered. In three years, there have been 242 cases of atrocities against them. Their sheep get stolen, they get beaten up and so on. They live in their villages only 3-4 months a year," Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said. Under the Bill, a welfare fund will be established and administered by a board.</p>.<p>The Karnataka Lifts, Escalators and Passenger Conveyors (Amendment) Bill was passed to decentralise the power of approving licences, which is currently vested with the chief inspector of lifts, escalators and passenger conveyors. </p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Select committee to vet Bill</strong></span></p>.<p>The Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, which aimed at addressing "complexities" of land records in Kodagu, was referred to a select committee after Congress lawmakers themselves opposed the proposed legislation. </p>.<p>The Bill wanted to address problems with the Jamma Bane system of land holding in Kodagu.</p>.<p>"The name of the head of a family, even after that person is dead and no longer holds rights, is continuing (in land records). This isn't allowed under revenue laws. We want such land records amended. However, this Bill is against what we want," Virajpet Congress MLA A S Ponnanna said. </p>.<p>"Revenue matters in Coorg are complicated. We agree to a select committee," Patil said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill to appoint an additional chief secretary-level officer as 'recovery commissioner' for "seizure, attachment, forfeiture of properties derived from illegal mining activities" in the state.</p>.<p>Piloting the Karnataka Appointment of Recovery Commissioner for Seizure and Attachment of Property of Illegal Mining and Proceeds of Crime Bill, Law & Parliamentary Affairs H K Patil said existing laws do not prescribe a structure for the functioning of recovery commissioners. </p>.<p>"Between 2006 and 2011-12, the state saw illegal mining. According to reports by Lokayukta and others, huge amounts of public assets were looted. The police just can't go recover assets. They'd have looted assets worth crores. Punishment isn't enough. Lost assets will have to come back to the exchequer," Patil said. </p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Welfare of migratory shepherds</strong></span></p>.<p>The Assembly also passed the Karnataka Traditional Migratory Shepherds (Welfare Measures and Protection Against Atrocities) Bill. </p>.<p>"There are an estimated 15,000 shepherds. Of them, 5,000 are registered. In three years, there have been 242 cases of atrocities against them. Their sheep get stolen, they get beaten up and so on. They live in their villages only 3-4 months a year," Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said. Under the Bill, a welfare fund will be established and administered by a board.</p>.<p>The Karnataka Lifts, Escalators and Passenger Conveyors (Amendment) Bill was passed to decentralise the power of approving licences, which is currently vested with the chief inspector of lifts, escalators and passenger conveyors. </p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Select committee to vet Bill</strong></span></p>.<p>The Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, which aimed at addressing "complexities" of land records in Kodagu, was referred to a select committee after Congress lawmakers themselves opposed the proposed legislation. </p>.<p>The Bill wanted to address problems with the Jamma Bane system of land holding in Kodagu.</p>.<p>"The name of the head of a family, even after that person is dead and no longer holds rights, is continuing (in land records). This isn't allowed under revenue laws. We want such land records amended. However, this Bill is against what we want," Virajpet Congress MLA A S Ponnanna said. </p>.<p>"Revenue matters in Coorg are complicated. We agree to a select committee," Patil said.</p>
