Krishik Samaj: Karnataka Agriculture Minister urges PWD to waive Rs 129 crore rent

Bengaluru: Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy has requested the Public Works Department (PWD) to waive Rs 129 crore rent dues of the Karnataka Pradesh Krishik Samaj (KPKS). The KPKS, near Hudson Circle, is situated on land belonging to the PWD. 

Cheluvarayaswamy has also sought the land to be transferred to the KPKS.

This request was submitted following a detailed report sought by Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma on pending rental dues and alleged violations of the agreement conditions by the KPKS.

In his letter, Cheluvarayaswamy blamed the PWD for not updating the revised rental details of the KPKS since 2019.

“The Krishik Samaj was paying Rs 1,000 annually since 2013 and there was no intimation from the PWD about the revision of rents till 2019. All of a sudden, in August 2020, the PWD asked the Krishik Samaj to pay Rs 129 crore for the period between January 1997 to February 2023. Hence, I request you to waive the ground rent fixed and to transfer the land in the name of Krishik Samaj,” the minister wrote. 

However, as per the report submitted by the PWD to the chief secretary, the KPKS violated the lease agreement conditions.

The PWD had given 60,258 sqft land on Nrupathunga Road, adjacent to Cubbon Park, for a 99-year lease on ground rent of Rs 1,000 per annum. The main condition of the lease was that there should not be any sub-leasing. Also, the property should be used for a cold storage facility or departmental store. 

“The Krishik Samaj violated the conditions and got involved in commercial activities by renting out the building to banks, insurance companies, publication house etc,” a senior PWD official said.

Despite collecting rent from the building, KPKS has rental dues, the official added.