Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a video conference with Deputy Commissioners (DCs), project directors, municipality commissioners, and chief officers of municipal corporations and urban local bodies across Karnataka to discuss the issuance of 'B' khatas to unauthorised properties as a one-time measure.
Siddaramaiah emphasized that those who have constructed unauthorised homes on revenue layouts or sites should not face inconvenience. He announced a one-time solution to provide relief to the poor and middle class by issuing 'B' khatas to unauthorised properties. The Chief Minister set a deadline of three months for all such properties to receive khatas. Unlike 'A' khatas, which are given to legal properties, 'B' khatas are issued for unauthorised assets and enable the government to levy taxes. However, owners with 'B' khatas may face challenges in obtaining bank loans.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of preventing the emergence of illegal layouts in cities, towns, and villages. He noted that the law had been amended to stop the registration of illegal layouts. "These illegal layouts are availing municipal services but aren’t paying any tax to the government, impacting the revenue of local bodies," Siddaramaiah explained. He reiterated that this initiative is only a one-time measure to address the existing issue.
Siddaramaiah urged officials to take the three-month deadline seriously and ensure that the process is completed efficiently. He highlighted the need for vigilance to ensure no new illegal layouts emerge in the future.