Karnataka govt. mulling over issuing ‘B’ khatas to unauthorised properties in tier-II cities: Urban Development Minister

Minister Suresh plans to issue 'B' khatas to properties in tier-II cities with violations, to bring them under the tax network. A House committee has been formed to submit a proposal to the govt. Owners of unauthorised properties use civic facilities but don't pay tax. Amendment to Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act needed; Minister assured Mayor of filling vacant posts.

Urban Development Minister B.S. Suresh reiterated here on Friday that the State government was mulling over issuing ‘B’ khatas to the owners of such sites, layouts, and buildings which have not complied with government regulations (having violations) under the jurisdiction of city corporations in tier-II cities to bring those properties under the tax network.

At a meeting chaired by him to review urban development projects, he said that presently the government issued ‘A’ khatas (to authorised, valid properties without any violations) and ‘B’ khatas (properties with violations) under the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The government was contemplating extending the same system of issuing khatas to properties in tier-II cities outside Bengaluru.

He said that a House committee headed by Eshwar Khandre, Minister of Forest, Environment and Ecology, had been formed to submit a proposal to the government on the same. The Law Minister and the Urban Development Minister are other members of the committee.

Mr. Suresh said that owners of many “unauthorised” properties used all civic and other infrastructure facilities, such as water and electricity supply, and drainage facility provided by city corporations but did not pay property tax as their properties did not have the completion certificate, door number, layout approval, and the like issued by the government. Such properties remained out of the tax network till their owners rectified the violations. By issuing ‘B’ khata to them, the government wants to make them pay property tax for using the facilities extended by the government.

The proposal is likely to become a reality after two months as it requires amendment to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976.

The Minister assured Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur of doing the needful to fill vacant sanctioned posts in Mangaluru City Corporation as the latter submitted him a memorandum to fill the posts.

D. Vedavyasa Kamath, MLA, Mangaluru City South, and Manjunath Bhandary, MLC, were present.