From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 10: In a relief to the people, who had encroached and built unauthorized houses in government lands in rural areas, the State Cabinet on Friday fixed the amount to be paid by families for regularization.

Those belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, physically handicapped persons and widows have to pay 5 percent of the guidance value for regularisation of houses built on site measuring 30x40 sq.ft. and 10 percent of the guidance value for the house constructed on 40x60 sq.ft.

For households belonging to the general category, the penalty has been fixed at 10 percent of the guidance value for houses build on a site measuring 30x40 sq.ft. and 20 percent of the guidance value on site of 40x60 sq.ft.

Briefing reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said the decision would provide a big relief to the poorer sections of the people in rural areas.

The previous BJP regime has passed the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2012, passed for regularising unauthorised houses built on government land in rural areas but had not fixed the amount and the issue was kept pending.

Granite quarrying

The State Cabinet also decided to permit more than 3,000 fresh applicants to commence granite quarrying to overcome shortage of crushed stones for construction works.

It was decided to grant permission to granite quarrying on first come first serve basis but to subject to the Supreme Court judgment, Jaychandra said.

Earlier, the High Court of Karnataka had ruled that government can no longer grant lease for granite quarrying on ‘virgin lands’ by processing applications from individuals or firms.

The High Court said the government has to mandatorily adopt ‘tender-cum-auction’ procedure to choose the lessee.

But the Supreme Court had subsequently turned down the High Court’s judgment, Jayachandra said.