From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jul 22: Even as the Narendra Modi regime at the Centre is mulling at making drastic changes in the Land Reforms Act to benefit industries and attract foreign direct investment, the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka has come out with an amendment bill to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act to ensure simplification of the cumbersome procedures for conversion of the agricultural lands.

Promoters of industries, agro-industries, owners of educational institutions, housing projects and places of worship would be no longer have to run from pillar to post for conversion of the agricultural land they have purchased.

The permission for diversion of agricultural land for industrial development and other purposes would be granted when permission for purchase of agricultural lands is accorded under section 109 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, subject to the payment of fees prescribed, according to the Karnataka Land Reforms and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

The amendment bill moved by Karnataka’s Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday provides envisages that in cases where the land cannot be utilised for the purpose of industrial development, educational institutions, places of worship, a housing project approved by the State Government or horticulture purpose within the prescribed time, such land would be surrendered to the land bank of the Government,

If the land is not surrendered to the Land Bank, the exemption would be cancelled and same be forfeited to the Government without paying any compensation.

The Bill holds that the company or organisation have to utilise the land within a period of 10 years from the date of obtaining permission under section 109 of the Land Reforms Act.

The application for the purpose of expansion of project, to tide over the financial crisis or for changing of land use must be considered by the High Power Committee headed by the Chief Secretary subject to such conditions as deemed fit on case to case basis, says the bill.