BENGALURU: In a major move to address resource constraints in protecting and developing lakes in Bengaluru, the state government has decided to transfer 25 per cent of the Lake Development Cess being collected by various planning authorities to Karnataka Lake Development and Conservation Authority (KLDCA).
Presently, planning authorities like BDA and BMRDA are collecting Lake Development Cess for conversion of land use pattern and approval of layout plans, etc. The state cabinet on Wednesday decided for automatic transfer of 25 per cent of the cess collected to KLDCA for taking up conservation and development of lakes in Bengaluru.
While the cess being collected is 0.5 per cent of the guidance value of the property being registered, the land conversion fee is `1 lakh per acre.
Apart from over 200 lakes in Bengaluru, KLDCA has regulatory control over all the lakes in Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mysuru, Belagavi, Tumakuru, Davangere, Ballari and Kalaburagi city corporations.
However, the 25 per cent cess to be transferred to KLDCA will be exclusively to develop lakes in Bengaluru city, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters while briefing about Wednesday’s cabinet decisions.
Integrated Tool Park in Tumakuru
A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed for setting up an integrated modern Tool Park at Vasantha Narasapura in Tumakuru district with an investment of `421 crore. The Cabinet cleared the proposal on Wednesday.
The SPV will be formed as part of the Chennai-Bengaluru-Chitradurga industrial corridor project.
The proposed Tool Park will provide all necessary facilities for setting up machine tool manufacturing industries and is estimated to create 4,000 jobs.
Kabini water for Suttur, Nanjanagud
The cabinet also approved the `233 crore Kabini drinking water project for Chamarajanagar, Suttur, Nanjanagud towns and 24 surrounding villages. A grant of `25 crore was cleared for conducting Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Bengaluru from January 7 to 9 next year.