cheaper' version of the Akrama-Sakrama scheme

Ahead of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections, the State Government has chalked out a revised but 'cheaper' version of the Akrama-Sakrama scheme to regularise illegal structures in the City.

A cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Transport Minister R Ashok, will redesign the controversial scheme. The idea is to fill the government’s coffers without causing much hardship to owners of illegal properties. At its final meeting here on Tuesday, the committee agreed on the revised penalty structure. The revised scheme is expected to get Cabinet nod in a fortnight. The government intends to generate at least Rs 6,000 crore through the scheme.

Speaking to reporters, Ashok said the scheme was intended to give a breather to owners of illegal structures, which had come up on revenue land, and property owners who have no registered documents except the general power of attorney (GPA).

Ashok said Akrama Sakrama 2009 will be almost 60 per cent cheaper than Akrama-Sakrama 2007. According to the proposed scheme, violations have been categorised into three — illegal layouts, sites and building violations.

Basis of penalty
Government sources said the basis of fixing the penalty would be the guidance value of the residential property. Assets with violations below 25 per cent will have to pay penalty at the rate of 6 per cent of the guidance value. For assets above 25 per cent violations, the penalty goes up to 8 per cent of the total guidance value. This criteria of levying penalty will be applicable not only in Bangalore but across the State. Sources said that in 2007, the government was extracting 15 per cent of the guidance value on violations. This has now been slashed to 6 to 8 per cent.

Penalty
It is also proposed to levy a penalty of 20 per cent of the guidance value for extracting penalty from commercial building owners if the violations are below 12.5 per cent, sources added. But if the violations are above 12.5 per cent, the penalty will shoot up to 35 per cent of the guidance value.

It is proposed to levy a maximum penalty of Rs 45,000 on residential sites with a dimension of 20 feet by 30 feet, Rs 90,000 for sites measuring 30 feet by 40 feet and Rs 2,10,000 for properties on a site of 40 feet by 60 feet.

Not for vacant land
Under the scheme, vacant lands cannot be regularised. The scheme is only for building owners. The structures on revenue land will invite more penalty for irregularities than those on government-approved layouts, including BDA, BBMP or those with valid documents. The government appears to be in no mood to extend rebate on car porticos and staircases, as they will also be considered to be violations.

Highlights
* Guidance value base for finalising penalty
* 6%-8% of guidance value as penalty for residential
properties
* 20%-35% of guidance value as penalty for commercial
properties
* Government to fetch Rs 6,000 crore from Sakrama-2009
* Applicable only on buildings, not on vacant land
* Breather for GPA holders as well
* The scheme to be finalised in a fortnight