Karnataka government mulling regularising leased land: R Ashoka

The government is mulling to sell the land leased to various groups and organisations based on current guidance value of the properties, Revenue Minister R Ashoka told the Council.

Responding to a question by BJP’s Bharathi Shetty, the minister said the government is not generating the revenue expected by leasing away parcels of land to various groups.

“It has also become difficult for us to recover the land as buildings and other structures have come up on these lands. So, the government has decided to sell these lands to the organisations at current guidance value,” he said.

According to the minister, instances of the government recovering leased land were few as the lease is usually renewed.

“The government is not even generating an annual revenue of Rs 50,000 for a property worth Rs 50 crore. There are also cases where lease fee is just Re 1 or Rs 10,” he said.

Organisations which are using the land for the purpose it was leased will be allowed to purchase the property at guidance value. If they have changed the land use, then the organisations will have to pay two and half times the guidance value for regularisation, Ashoka said.

Shetty said that land was leased to several organisations in prominent locations. Christian missionaries and other groups have built buildings on such lands and rented out shops for business.

“Government should identify leased lands where change of land use was affected and recover them,” she demanded.

Relief in a week

To a question by Congress member Srinivas Mane, Ashoka said Rs 35.7 crore will be released in a week to provide relief for loss of life and property caused due to heavy rainfall.

The government, he said, had already released relief worth Rs 154.65 crore.

It was expecting Rs 35.7 crore from the Centre under National Disaster Response Fund. If the Centre delays releasing the fund, the state will release from its coffers to help those affected, Ashoka added.

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