It was recently that the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2 (KARC-2), headed by former Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, in its report to the government recommended the conversion of B-Khata sites to A-Khata after collecting land conversion fee, penalty, compounding fee for the development authority concerned, and building plan approval fee.
This, along with the State Government also expressing its intent in converting B-Khata to A-Khata during the Belagavi session, is reason for speculation of its inclusion in the State Budget that will be presented on Thursday.
Though it was first proposed in 2018, lakhs of citizens are still waiting for the civic body to frame rules and regulations that would make way for the conversion of B-Khata to A-Khata, apart from delinking it from Akrama Sakrama, which is still pending before the Supreme Court. There are over six lakh B-Khata properties, including vacant sites, in the 198 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The administrative reforms committee has recommended conversion of Khata after framing suitable rules under section 76F of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961.
Sources in the BBMP’s Revenue Department told The Hindu that several rounds of discussions have already been held. The government, in principle, wants to allow conversion of B-Khata to A-Khata that will bring a lot of relief to lakhs of property owners. The government has already amended the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, in March 2018, paving the way for the conversion.
However, the government is yet to take a decision on policy considerations, if any, for socially weaker sections, or if there will be differential rates for regularisation of properties in core zones and outer zones etc. “We are not sure if the intent will be reiterated in the Budget or if the policy will be announced with some specifics,” the senior official added.
The conversion of B-Khata, if announced in the Budget, is likely to be used as a trump card by the BJP. The elections to the BBMP are likely to be held this year.
Cutting across party lines, leaders have for long sought regularisation/conversion of B-Khata properties. Since such properties are in violation of government regulations, owners cannot avail bank loans, get building plan approvals or occupancy/completion certificates from the BBMP, nor can they divide the property or sell it at the prevailing market rates.
