CHIKKAMAGALURU: Revenue Minister R Ashoka said 40,000 acres of encroached land will be leased out in the district and a circular in this regard has been published in the state gazette. At a felicitation accorded to him by the Karnataka Growers’ Federation, Karnataka Planters’ Association and UPASEE at the AIT College amphi theatre here, he said provision for lending of loans on the leased encroached lands by banks will be brought under the frame of law.
Tenders has been invited for demarcating the border between the forest and revenue lands identified by a drone survey at a cost of Rs 280 crore. On an experimental basis, four to five districts have been selected.
In Chikkamagaluru district, 2,688 growers have encroached up to 10 acres, followed by 554 persons up to 10 to 15 acres, 861 persons up to 15 to 20 acres and 989 planters who have encroached up to 20 to 25 acres. Law has been framed to lease the encroached land according to the conscience, the minister said.
Extent of deemed forest is 9 lakh hectares and after meeting with the forest minister, 6 lakh hectares of land has been taken back by the revenue department. Details on survey numbers of respective lands have been already sent to the deputy commissioners. Lands will be transferred to the owners who are cultivating in the said lands, he said.