Govt plans 'B' khata system for Mysore

With the proposed ‘revenue’ (unauthorised sites and buildings in urban areas) land regularisation scheme unlikely to materialise anytime soon, the State government is now planning to introduce the ‘B’ khata system in the Mysore city limits along the lines of the one existing in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits.

There are also indications that the scheme may be extended to six other city corporations. The Urban Development Department (UDD) has already forwarded a proposal to implement the system in Mysore city to the Parliamentary Affairs Department (PAD) to draft an amendment bill. Section 108(a) of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act has to be amended for this purpose.

Mysore city has close to 1 lakh properties, which can be brought under the ‘B’ khata system. Mysore district in-charge Minister S A Ramdas has been pushing the proposal, official sources said.

Under the ‘B’ khata (also called ‘B’ register) system, unauthorised immovable properties (popularly called ‘revenue’ properties) will be brought under property tax assessment. Once the system is introduced, the civic body will be empowered to issue ‘B’ khata after collecting property tax.

Accounts of such properties, however, will be maintained separately (called ‘B’ register). Though ‘B’ khata is not a legally valid document for property ownership, it will be a proof to claim the ownership at the time of regularisation and obtain ‘A’ khata (which is a valid khata), officials explained.

Section 108(a) of the KMC Act says, “The BBMP can collect property tax from every building, vacant land or both, including a building constructed in violation of the provisions of building byelaw or in an unauthorised layout or in a revenue land or from a building occupied without issuance of occupancy or completion certificate except the building constructed illegally on government land, land belonging to any local body, any statutory body or an organisation owned or controlled by the government.”

There are an estimated 3 lakh properties with ‘B’ khata in the BBMP limits. ‘A’ khata will be issued only after regularisation of such properties. The government had actually come up with a regularisation scheme in 2009 and also got the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Act passed in the Legislature for this purpose. However, the Revenue department failed to frame the rules for implementing the scheme. The time limit for implementing the scheme has now expired.

Other corporations

Official said many other district in-charge ministers, too, are keen on introducing the system in other city corporations. They are likely to demand it when the proposal to implement the system in Mysore city comes up for approval before the Cabinet, sources added.

Official sources said the PAD had sent back the proposal citing technical problem in adopting the BBMP system of ‘B’ khata in Mysore. Section 108(a) enables the BBMP to issue ‘B’ khata and collect property tax under Unit Area Value (UAV) assessment system (wherein the city has been classified into six units and separate tax rate has been fixed for each of them).

Whereas, Mysore city follows the Capital Value System (CVS) of property assessment (wherein the capital value of each individual property, both land and building, is assessed and taxed). As a result, the UDD has to either change the tax assessment system in Mysore city or allow both the systems — CVS (for ‘A’ khata properties) and UAV (for ‘B’ khata properties), sources said.

Mysore City Corporation Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Tippesh told Deccan Herald that the UDD was yet to communicate objections raised by the PAD.

“It (PAD raising objection) is a technical matter. It will be sorted out soon. After securing the PAD’s approval, the draft amendment bill will be brought before the Cabinet. It will be implemented after securing the Legislature nod,” he said.

Eyeing polls

* Govt plans to introduce ‘B’ khata system in Mysore.
* B khata enables owners of unauthorised immovable properties to pay property tax.  * Mysore district incharge minister S A Ramdas has been pushing the proposal.
* Other Cabinet ministers may demand implementation of the system in all corporations of the State.