Exchequer loses Rs 400 cr

Exchequer loses Rs 400 cr
DH News Service, Bangalore:
While the lull in registration of revenue sites in Bangalore continues, the State Government is in no mood to go easy on its stance on development of non-converted revenue land.

This, when the virtual “ban” on registration has hit the Revenue Department coffers hard. The message is clear: Have documents, will register.

“There is no ban on registration. We are only trying to ensure that registration of non-converted revenue sites by producing forged documents is brought under check,” S M Jaamdar, Revenue Secretary, said.

It was in April 2005 that the registration of revenue sites was brought to a halt after widespread allegations that agricultural land was being registered without the requisite land conversion documents. More importantly, the move was triggered off by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation that proposed stringent action against government officials who were identified with land encroachers. However, the restrictions have already translated into a virtual ban, considerably hitting the registration numbers.

According to sources, the registration lull had resulted in a loss of around Rs 400 crore to the State, over the last financial year. “The officials are asking for documents certifying approval by the BDA. How can we produce such documents for sites located in areas like Chamarajnagar?” M Ramesh, Secretary, Builders Association of India (Karnataka Centre), asked. The builders and developers’ representatives, during their pre-budget interaction with the State Executive Committee members, have reiterated their demand to revoke the “ban”.

Guidelines
“There’s still no clarity with regard to the guidelines and the required documents for registering revenue sites. While some of the sub-registrar offices refuse to register these sites, there’s no such issue with others,” Ashwath Narayana, President, Revenue Site Holders Welfare Association, said.

While the government move was also targeted at corrupt officials, it has not been able to keep the under-hand deals on check, according to some of the revenue site holders. “Nobody is preventing people from registering sites with the required documents. But if the idea is to develop properties when there is no provision for roads or water lines, we will act tough,” countered Jaamdar.