BELAGAVI: The Karnataka Land Revenue (Third Amendment) Bill 2022, which aims at leasing government land to families illegally cultivating plantation crops on such lands, was passed in the Council on Wednesday.
The Bill envisages leasing out government land spread up to 25 acres to the families which are utilising it for illegal cultivation to grow plantation crops like coffee, arecanut, rubber and cardamom. While the cut-off date for the scheme is January 2005, the families, which are possessing the land parcel prior to that date, are eligible and the land will be leased to them for 30 years from the date of the lease signed.
The government will roll out the scheme soon after the Governor gives his ascent to the Bill, which is expected to be passed in the Assembly on Thursday. While the scheme will be implemented in the districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagluru, Hassan, and Shivamogga, where plantation crops are mainly cultivated, the eligible beneficiaries can approach the deputy commissioner of their respective district to get the lease.
Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who presented the Bill, said that the objective of the Bill is to help planters with small land holdings. He said the scheme is meant to protect the interest of small farmers and the landholders will not be permitted to utilise the land parcel for commercial exploitation such as developing resorts or homestays.
KPME Bill passed
The Council also passed The Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2002 which envisages replacing the chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the chairman of Registration and Grievances Redressal Authority by the deputy commissioner of Bengaluru urban district.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy, who piloted on behalf of Health Minister K Sudhakar, said the BBMP commissioner was made the chairman of the authority during the Covid-19 pandemic through an amendment to the Act and now it is being replaced and the DC is being reinstated as the chairman.