<p>Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy launched the Land and Building Plan Approval System (LBPAS) on Thursday. With this, Karnataka became the first Indian state to take the process online, he said.</p>.<p>“Earlier, seeking approvals for building or layout plans and change of land use required people to run from pillar to post. But now, you can sit at home, submit an application and get work done easily without corruption and waste of time,” Kumaraswamy said.</p>.<p>“A top priority for this coalition government is to provide citizen-friendly governance,” he added. On the occasion, the CM also launched 118 websites of urban development authorities, planning authorities, the directorate of town and country planning and others.</p>.<p>“The government is also working on GIS-based masterplans, affordable housing and more incentives for electric vehicles through parking and charging points,” Urban Development Minister U T Khader said. The government will soon announce a new policy to regulate paying guest (PG) accommodation, he added.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong><span class="bold">Rant against media</span></strong></p>.<p>Kumaraswamy continued hitting out at the media, especially for the recent coverage of goof-ups in his pet crop loan waiver scheme.</p>.<p>“The crop loan waiver is being implemented extremely transparently in the last one year. But our own media doesn’t appreciate the work we’re doing and the government is blamed for mistakes committed by the banks,” he said.</p>.<p>On April 28, Kumaraswamy announced boycotting the media and has maintained distance since. Of late, he has targeted the media during his public speeches.</p>
<p>Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy launched the Land and Building Plan Approval System (LBPAS) on Thursday. With this, Karnataka became the first Indian state to take the process online, he said.</p>.<p>“Earlier, seeking approvals for building or layout plans and change of land use required people to run from pillar to post. But now, you can sit at home, submit an application and get work done easily without corruption and waste of time,” Kumaraswamy said.</p>.<p>“A top priority for this coalition government is to provide citizen-friendly governance,” he added. On the occasion, the CM also launched 118 websites of urban development authorities, planning authorities, the directorate of town and country planning and others.</p>.<p>“The government is also working on GIS-based masterplans, affordable housing and more incentives for electric vehicles through parking and charging points,” Urban Development Minister U T Khader said. The government will soon announce a new policy to regulate paying guest (PG) accommodation, he added.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong><span class="bold">Rant against media</span></strong></p>.<p>Kumaraswamy continued hitting out at the media, especially for the recent coverage of goof-ups in his pet crop loan waiver scheme.</p>.<p>“The crop loan waiver is being implemented extremely transparently in the last one year. But our own media doesn’t appreciate the work we’re doing and the government is blamed for mistakes committed by the banks,” he said.</p>.<p>On April 28, Kumaraswamy announced boycotting the media and has maintained distance since. Of late, he has targeted the media during his public speeches.</p>
