Bengaluru: In a major decision, the Karnataka government has decided to launch a special drive to issue B Khatas to about 30 lakh unauthorised residential buildings and plots across all towns and cities of the state except in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits.
“The drive will hopefully start from February 10, and it will last for three months," Revenue Minister B Krishna Byregowda told reporters here on Monday. "The drive is being taken up following a Supreme Court direction, and it is going to be a one-time measure,” he added.
There are about 55 lakh properties within the limits of urban local bodies in the state. Of which only about 20 lakh properties have proper khatas, and the remaining 30-35 lakh neither have proper khatas nor do they come under the tax net, the minister said.
He said that the guidelines for the issuance of B Khatas will be out in a few days, and the property owners have to pay double the property tax for the first year and the regular tax from the next year onwards. “The owners need not have to apply for B Khatas. The respective urban local bodies themselves will issue,” he replied to a question.
As of now, B Khata certificates are being issued to unauthorised properties only within the limits of BBMP. B Khata property is essentially an unauthorised property without approvals from competent authorities but still receives water, electricity, roads, and other amenities from the civic agencies. However, the owners of these properties don't have ownership titles (Khatas) from the civic bodies, which makes their sale and purchase extremely difficult.
“With the issuance of B Khatas, the owners of these unauthorised properties will at least get a piece of paper to show they are the owners. It will also help people to sell and purchase such properties,” Krishna Byregowda said.
Once all these properties are given B Khatas, the government will stop issuing such Khatas once and for all. “There will be only A Khatas,” he added.
He said similar action will be taken concerning properties in the gram panchayat limits.
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