The Hindu 16.07.2009
9,033 acres of encroached land recovered: Minister
Special Correspondent
Of the recovered land, 559.29 acres were auctioned, earning revenue of Rs. 532.2 crore
Amendment Bill seeking regularisation of revenue sites awaiting approval of Lower House
BANGALORE: The Government has recovered 9,033.37 acres of the 33,878 acres encroached land in Bangalore Urban district in compliance with the recommendations of the A.T. Ramaswamy Committee’s preliminary report, Minister for Revenue G. Karunakara Reddy told the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
Replying to M. Srinivas (JD-S), Mr. Reddy said it was wrong to interpret that the Government could recover only 25 per cent of the encroached land in the district as the rest was either entangled in legal disputes or in Akrama-Sakrama issue, or was under the Government’s consideration for utilising them for civic amenity purposes. However, the Government would make all efforts to recover the entire land, he said.
Of the recovered land, the Government auctioned 559.29 acres and earned revenue of Rs. 532.2 crore.
However, the Government was yet to realise Rs. 252.41 crore from the bidders, and had issued notices to them, he explained.
Questioning the tardy progress in recovering all the encroached land, M.C. Nanaiah (JD-S), V.R. Sudarshan ( Congress) and others urged Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who was present in the House, to exercise political will and free the State from the real estate mafia.
He suggested that the Government constitute two House committees, on the lines of the A.T. Ramaswamy Committee which automatically got itself dissolved after the President’s rule was imposed, to pursue the unfinished task of the erstwhile committee.
Replying to Mallajamma (Congress) on regularising revenue sites and the structures on such land, Mr. Reddy said an amendment Bill seeking regularisation of such properties was awaiting the approval of the Lower House. The Government was hopeful that the Bill would have a smooth passage, he added.