The Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was passed in the Legislative Assembly for providing one year extension for regularisation of unauthorised cultivation of government lands under Form 57.
The Bill proposes that Section 94-A provide relief where tahsildar concerned can issue the order of grant of land for the unauthorised land cultivated by farmers. However, the official cannot grant land that is lying within 18 km radius of the BBMP, 10 km radius of city corporations, and 5 km radius of municipalities.
Demand from legislators
Revenue Minister R. Ashok said many legislators have demanded the extension of the scheme since applications were not received following parliamentary elections in 2019 and poll code. A provision was made to allow applications from March 17, 2018, to March 16, 2019, for those lands which were being cultivated prior to January 1, 2005.
The Bills seeks to replace an ordinance which was promulgated on May 30, 2022.
The Minister said more than seven lakh applications from farmers seeking regularisation of cultivation of unauthorised lands were pending. More than a dozen members spoke and welcomed the Bill which extends the term for receiving applications by one more year.
Taking back deemed forests
Mr. Ashok said the government would take back six lakh hectares of deemed forest land from the Forest Department and give it to farmers who had undertaken cultivation on such lands.
The Forest Department has declared nine lakh hectares as deemed forest land and later it has agreed to return six lakh hectares to the Revenue Department. He said planters who have developed coffee plantations on unauthorised lands would be given land on a lease basis, which would earn revenue to the government. The Kerala government initiated the model, he said.
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said his government had planned to handover plantations on unauthorised lands on lease basis but could not implement it.
Protection to depositors
The Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was passed in the Assembly on Friday. It aims to amend the 2004 Act (Karnataka Act 30 of 2005) to replace an Ordinance.
Any offence under the Act is cognizable and non-bailable. It aims at clubbing of all FIRs, if multiple FIRs are registered either in one police station or various police stations, for fraud. It seeks to file a single case against the same accused or the same financial establishment.
The Bill seeks to empower special courts to try the accused, who may be charged under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, at the same trial.
