In a bid to attract investors and provide them land in the State, the government on Monday introduced the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2020, in the Legislative Assembly for amending Section 109 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. This pertains to acquisition and conversion of agricultural lands for industrial purposes.
The Bill provided for deemed exemption to purchase land for industrial purpose to the extent approved by the State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) or the State Single Window Clearance Committee under the Karnataka Industrial (Facilitation) Act, 2002.
It also granted permission for sale of lands exempted under section 109 after utilising such land for a period of seven years for the purpose for which it was permitted. The Bill replaced the Ordinance promulgated on November 20, 2019.
After the SHLCC, the Chief Minister under his chairmanship clears investment projects. In case the land acquisition was delayed after the SHLCC’s approval, then the process for land acquisition would be considered as “deemed approval.”
The Bill was tabled in the background of the government’s decision to hold a Global Investors’ Meet in Bengaluru in November 2020.
Other Bills
The Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was tabled in the House to make a deemed provision for change of land use from the master plan whenever any land is procured by the Planning Authority, Local Authority, Karnataka Housing Board, Karnataka Slum Development Board, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Development Corporation or Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation Ltd. for public purpose.
The other Bill tabled was the Karnataka Regulation of Pay and Pension of Teacher in Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2020, to regulate pay, pension and pensionary benefits admissible to the teacher working in government colleges, universities established by the law and in government aided higher educational institutions under the control of the State government. It replaced the Ordinance promulgated earlier.
For Universities
The Karnataka State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was tabled to bifurcate Gulbarga University and to establish Raichur University.
It would cover Raichur and Yadgir districts.
The Sarvajna Kshetra Development Authority Bill, 2020, was tabled to establish the authority for development and maintenance of the Sarvajna Kshetra, including the place of birth of Sarvajna and other places situated around Hirekerur in Haveri district.
NOTA in ULB polls
To provide the option of NOTA (None of the Above) to voters in the ballot papers and EVMs in elections to urban local bodies, the government tabled the Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
