Karnataka Council passes land reforms amendment bill

'Procedures will be simplified, permission of DCs for conversion will be done away with'

A bill that paves the way for reducing procedural delays after the land is allotted for various purposes under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 and Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 was passed by the Legislative Council today. Karnataka Land Reforms and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill 2014 introduced by Revenue Minister Srinivas Prasad has already been passed by the state Assembly.

“The procedures will be simplified and permission of deputy commissioners for conversion of agricultural land will be done away with,” he said. The legislation makes it easier to divert agricultural land for commercial and industrial purposes.

The bill, however, contains a strict provision that allottees should surrender their land to the government within 10 years if they have not utilised it for the purpose it was sanctioned. Later Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy adjourned the house sine die before moving the thanks-giving motion for conducting a 28-day long session after a span of over 25 years.