Betterment charges skyrocket in City

Betterment charges skyrocket in City
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Betterment charges for revenue sites in the limits of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike have gone sky-high.



The charges to get khata for a 30X40 ft revenue site has gone up to a whopping Rs 46,000 from Rs 13,300.
The erstwhile BMP had fixed a betterment charge of Rs 100 per sq yard in 1995. The same price continued till December 2006, when the State government issued an order asking the Palike to stop collecting betterment charges.

After seven CMCs and one TMC was merged with old-BMP area to form BBMP, the State government re-introduced betterment charges. BBMP Commissioner S Subramanya in his circular on November 7 asked officers to collect the betterment charges.

New charges

As per the new charges owner of a property with an area up to 60 sq mtr has to pay Rs 200 per sq mtr.
Whereas owner of property with an area more than 60 sq mtr has to pay Rs 400 per sq mtr.

Going by these calculations owner of a 30X40 ft site will have to pay Rs 46,000 to get khata for his property.
An officer in the Palike said that the last revision of charges took place in 1995. The public may argue that it is a sudden hike. Over the last 13 years prices of every commodity has gone up. Similarly, the betterment charges have to be revised. This will help improve civic amenities, he said.

FACTFILE

What are betterment charges?

Charges collected by local bodies while issuing khata for properties.
The amount collected is used for providing basic amenities.

Helps property owners

Paying betterment charges is mandatory to get khata. Once khata is obtained selling the property is easy. Transfer of khata is also simple.

Charges collected for

* Sites in converted land where BDA approved building plans
* Land granted by state government for non-agriculture purposes
* Sites in layouts developed by KIADB, KSSIDC, KHB, which are not handed over to BBMP
* Industrial layouts granted by KIADB
* Those properties identified in Revenue Department records under gram thana

Charges exempted for

* Properties in BDA developed layouts
* Properties in layouts developed by KIADB, KSSIDC, KHB, which are handed over to BBMP
* Properties in layouts formed with BDA approval and handed over to BBMP
* Properties sanctioned under various benefit schemes

How much?

For properties, in BBMP limits
*Up to 60 sq mtr - Rs 200 per sq mtr
* 60 sq mtr - 120 sq mtr - Rs 400 per sq mtr
* 120 sq mtr and above - Rs 600 per sq mtr

Where to pay?
At range offices
BBMP zonal offices