The former chief secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar-led administrative reforms committee on Friday, in its third report to the state government, has recommended to the state government a “legal” policy to convert properties with B Khata to A Khata by levying a “compounding” fee instead of the much controversial “Akrama-Sakrama” policy.
In its report on reforms needed in the urban development department, the committee has said: “Suitable rules can be framed under Section 76F of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) act for compounding offence, B Khata sites can be converted to A Khata by paying land conversion fees and fines and compounding fees to the concerned planning authority.”
In its report, the committee has said that the section gives the state government leeway to compound “minor” offences in construction on revenue land.
These include unauthorised structures, building plan violations and unauthorised sites.
The section, according to the committee report, suggests that these offences can be compounded by collecting proportionate infrastructure development charges and compounding penalty, allowing them to purchase TDR or premium FAR.
The committee has also suggested further violations like those of fire code, building refurbishment, business signages, nuisance violations, urban design regulations etc.
While the sum and substance of the “compounding” policy may resonate with the legally troubled Akrama-Sakrama, speaking to TOI, Bhaskar said the two policies are completely different.
“Compounding offences are different from regularisation of the properties. The compounding of offences on B Khata sites are mostly minor and not all offences can be penalised,” said Bhaskar, adding that the Akrama-Sakrama policies have had cut-off dates while the compounding policy does not carry any cut-off date.
In fact, the report by the committee even quotes the Maharashtra Town Planning rules (compounded structures) of 2017 which has similar provisions in that state.
The move would generate substantial revenue for the state government and also “assist” the BJP in an election year, if the recommendation is accepted.
Merge BMRDA and BDA
Meanwhile, the committee has also recommended the merger of the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) considering the two agencies are mostly “overlapping” and renders each other’s jurisdiction defunct.
The recommendation is a reiteration of the Dr Kasutirrangan committee which studied the civic agencies.
“The area left outside the BBMP limits and within the present BDA limits would be only 417 square kilometres (after the expansion of the BBMP jurisdiction to 800 sq kms). If the BDA and BMRDA are merged, the merged body could take up both development and planning functions in the region,” reads the report.
Other key recommendations
– Constitution of a Cut Waste Task Force to cut wasteful expenses incurred by various departments, boards and corporations
– Merge Dept of Public Enterprises (DPE) in Finance Dept.
– Payment of compensation for land acquisition must be made on time, to avoid additional compensation
– Implement department performance management and evaluation system for evaluating performance of departments
– PDOs of the gram panchayats and officers of ULBs may be notified as competent authority under the provisions of Hindu Marriage Act for registration of marriages.
– 33 per cent horizontal reservation for women in recruitment of constables and non-gazetted staff.
