Govt nod for amendments to Revenue Act

Govt nod for amendments to Revenue Act
Land-grabbers to get jail term
Deccan Herald

Those grabbing revenue land will now be liable for imprisonment up to three years. The punishment applies not only to land-grabbers, but also to the officials and others who are hand in glove with them.

The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval for amending the Karnataka Land Revenue Act to include an imprisonment clause for land-grabbers.

The proposed amendments also provide for slapping a fine of Rs 10,000. While the proposed amendments cover the encroachment of revenue land, their scope would be soon extended to deal with encroachment of all kinds of government land, sources said.


Airport development

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting held in Belgaum before the commencement of the third day’s session of the State legislature, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti said even those officials who indirectly help land-grabbers by regularising encroachments would be liable for punishment. The Cabinet also gave clearance for upgrading the airports at Hubli and Belgaum at a cost of Rs 20 crore each. While the Belgaum airport will have 300 acres of land, the Hubli airport will have 400 acres. To improve inter-State connectivity, the Cabinet decided to upgrade the 50-km stretch of road between Belgaum and Goa at a cost of Rs 65 crore.

The road, which comprises stretches of State highway as well as main district roads, will be upgraded to national highway standard, Public Works Minister H D Revanna said.

Besides, the Cabinet gave its clearance for calling tenders to take up construction of the building for the Karnataka High Court circuit bench in Gulbarga at a cost of Rs 65 crore.

Mr Revanna said the construction would commence shortly.

It was also decided to take up 750 villages for infrastructure development this year as against 1,000 villages under the Suvarna Gramodaya scheme. From next year, 1,000 villages would be taken up under the project, he said. Each village will get Rs 1 crore for infrastructure development under this scheme.

The Cabinet also decided to provide additional powers to Regional Commissioners, thus reviving the old system of Divisional Commissioners.

The post of Divisional Commissioners was abolished on the recommendation of the State Administrative Reforms Commission. Mr Horatti declined to comment on reviving the old custom.

BPL ration cards

The other decisions of the Cabinet include providing a bank guarantee to the Karnataka Power Corporation for availing itself of a loan of Rs 188.65 crore for the maintenance of Raichur Thermal Power Station, and directions to the Deputy Commissioners to distribute BPL ration cards at the earliest without changes in the list of beneficiaries already prepared.

CABINET DECISIONS

*Revenue land-grabbers to get 3-year jail

*All kinds of govt land encroachments to be tackled

*Punishment for officers helping land-grabbers

*Hubli, Belgaum airports to be upgraded

*Belgaum-Goa road to be upgraded

*More power to Regional Commissioners