Cabinet gives nod for granting B-Khata to constructions on unauthorised layouts under ULBs

The decision to allow collection of property tax from such constructions may yield a total annual revenue of ₹ 2,000 crore

The State Cabinet has reportedly approved a proposal to grant B-Khata for constructions that have come up on illegal layouts on non-government revenue lands in all the Urban Local Body (ULB) areas as well as buildings without building plan and collect property tax from them.

The recommendation by a Cabinet sub-committee constituted under the chairmanship of Forest Minister B. Eshwar Khandre to examine the possibilities of extending the provisions under BBMP Act, 2020, Column 144 (6) and (21) to ULBs were accepted by the Cabinet which met on Thursday.

The Urban Local Bodies in the State account for a total of 54.91 lakh properties of which 34.35 lakh properties are unauthorised. Though these properties are getting civic amenities like drinking water, power and road, there was no provision under the existing law to collect property tax from them.

According to sources, the Cabinet’s decision to allow collection of property tax from such constructions may yield a total annual revenue of ₹ 2,000 crore.

It is learnt that the Cabinet sub-committee has decided to fix the property tax for these properities in such a way that it would not burden the poor and middle-class people.

Deadline for regularisation

The Cabinet sub-committee has also reportedly recommended fixing a final deadline beyond which unauthorised layouts in the state should not be regularised. If any unauthorised layouts come up beyond this date, provisions have been made to book criminal cases against developers in such cases. Also, provisions have been prescribed to initiate disciplinary action against officials who make way for development of such unauthorised layouts. The provisions include slapping a penalty of ₹ one lakh on such officials. Sources said that the State Cabinet had given approval to such recommendations on stringent provisions to curb unauthorised layouts.

It is learnt that provisions have been made to ensure that the properties under all the layouts are registered only through e-AASTHI. Sources said that the Cauvery software related to registration of properties, there is no provision to register properties if it is unauthorised.