For promoting tourism at historical, religious and popular tourist places, the State Government has decided to allow private parties to purchase five acres of agricultural lands in 100 selected places for construction of hotels.
The Government has decided to amend the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964 to enable entrepreneurs to purchase a maximum of five acres of land from farmers directly to set up hotels.
Revealing the arrangements made by the Tourism Department to attract private investments during the Global Investors' Meet on June 3 and 4, Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism G Janardhan Reddy told presspersons on Thursday that 100 tourist places hade been identified for setting up of hotels in the private sector in the State.
The Government would not interfere in the land deals between farmers and buyers, Mr. Reddy said.
The department has created a land bank and kept ready 3,258 acres of land for tourism projects.
Some of the places identified for setting up hotels on five acres of farm lands are: Bannerghatta and Dodda Aladamara (big banyan tree) in Bangalore; Ghati Subramanya and Madhure in Doddaballpur; Nandi Hills in Devanahalli; Shivagange in Nelamangala; Rangasthala and Vidhurashwatha in Gauribidanur; Kaiwara, Murugamallu in Chintamani taluk; Kotilingeshwara in Bangarpet taluk; Chikkathirupathi in Malur; Sangama, Ramadevara Betta, Savanadurga, T.G. Halli Reservoir and Kanwa reservoir in Ramangaram district; Shivanasamurdra in Mandya; Bandipur, Chikkahole Dam, M M Hills, Bharachukki, B.R. Hills, Hogenakkal, Gundal Reservoir in Chamarajangara district; Kabini reservoir, Talakadu, Gommatagiri, Somanathapura in Mysore district; Belur, Halebid, Sharavanabelagola, Gorur reservoir in Hassan district; Balehonnur, Kalasa, Sringeri, and Kemmannagundi in Chikmagalur; Gajanur dam, Thirthahalli, Agumbe, Chakra Dam, Chandragutti, Kodachadri Hills, Bhadra project and Gudavi bird sanctuary in Shimoga district; Someshwara, Pilikula, Gundya and Kukke Subramanya in Dakshina Kannada district; Malpe Beach, Kaup beach, and Kollur in Udupi district; Nagarahole, Madikeri, Harangi Dam, Irpu Falls in Kodagu district; Anegundi, and T.B. Dam in Koppal; Kodlu beach, Om beach, Gokarna, Murudeshwara, Unchalli, Magodu, Sathodi, Dandeli and Ramangara in Uttara Kannada district; Koodala Sangama, Badami, Ihole, Pattadakal in Bagalkot district; Chitradurga Fort and Vanivilas Sagar in Chitradurga; Shantisagar in Davangere; Gokak Falls, Saundatti, and Kittur in Belgaum district; Hampi in Bellary; and Srirangapatna in Mandya district.
The Minister said concessional loans at the interest rate of 10 per cent would be made available to private parties through Karnataka State Finance Corporation. Such enterprises would also be given VAT exemption for a three-year period.
