Monday, 8 June 2015

onus on Transarent rules




            Sri. M.P. Prakash, Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, revealed his future plans for Centralized Registration and better infrastructure facilities at sub-registries. Following are the excerpts.
•        What are the departments that earn more revenue for the State?
          Excise, Stamp duty and Registration, Commercial Taxes, and Road Transport earn main revenue for the state.
•        Guideline value for Registration of the Properties is high in Karnataka Stamp Duty and Market Value. Due to high value people will adopt various means to avoid Stamp Duty. If the guidance Values are reasonable, Government will get more revenue, because of increase in numbers of registrations. Do you have any proposals for it?
          The previous government had notified the formation of committee for guidance value during the year 2003 that is on 18/8/2003, this was published in the Karnataka Gazette. The committee had non-official members also representing various sectors like Apartment Owner’s Association, Developers Association, Builder’s Association and people connected with social work. The previous committees had only official members. The committee had 8 sittings. Committee noted that subsequent to the guidance value fixed during July 2002 there was recession for some time and then there was boom. There was overlapping of rural area of the Bangalore and also urban Conglomeration. In such cases the committee has fixed the medium rate. The one important work of the committee is the fixation of guidance value for the flats taking into con-side ration the floor area ratio.
          The guidance values have been fixed after considering many facets. The objections were heard and reliefs were given where the objections are reasonable and justified. The guidance value arrived by the committee is reasonable and has relevance to the market value.
•        The Department of Stamps and Registration earns maximum revenue for the government. But infrastructure in these offices is not even minimum. How do you propose to remedy this?
          I do agree with these things but unfortunately Revenue is one department, which is the last to be considered for provision for infrastructure, because of so many constraints, so many compulsions and priorities.
          Now I am thinking very seriously, as this is one of the most important revenue earning departments. I have got two proposals. One proposal I am seriously considering is to create some more sub registrar offices in order to avoid crowding. About providing the infrastructure facilities, I have been told that many of these offices are situated in private buildings. When we are giving so much of rent, there are two alternatives, one is to ask the owner of the building to provide extra facilities, like sitting for the people who come for registration and other works. For this purposes the owner has to provide extra area so that the people could wait with dignity. People should not be allowed to loiter around. And offices should also be provided with other facilities like toilets, restaurants, etc. I haven’t gone to each of the premises where the buildings are occupied.
          If there is space I will immediately take up these with the owners. If it is government owned building then my priority is to see that the things are done. If it is not possible then we may have to look for alternative suitable place. This is the second alternative, third alternative is I am thinking, wherever government land is available, wherever it is possible, I will certainly see that the money is allocated this year and more infrastructure facilities are provided.
          At the same time, there are certain things, inspite of providing facilities, our people are simply impatient; they want things, to be done immediately, as quickly as possible. This has given rise to the corruption. It is really impossible for any one to register about 5000-3000-1000-500 registrations per day. Naturally, they tend to say, you come afterwards. In order to oblige, employees at sub-registrar office sit and work till late in the night, for certain benefits. This has given rise to corruption. We will provide certain infrastructure as well have some more sub-registrar offices to bring down the rate of corruption immediately.
•        Earlier there was a proposal that registration may be done in any of the registering offices, which will be interlinked. When will this be implemented?
          I will certainly talk to my IGR and Secretary and see that any innovative inputs and suggestions that we get in order to bring down the corruption in the department and to give better facilities will be implemented as soon as possible. I will consider centralised Registration office to reduce the inconvenience to the public. I am open to all suggestions.
•        Karnataka Land Reforms Act and Revenue rules are outdated. Do you have any proposal to update this?
          There are many aspects for which Pros and Cons will be there. The previous Janata Dal government included Section No 109 in Karnataka Land Reforms Act, under which the people who are not entitled to hold agricultural lands are eligible to take agricultural lands for the purpose of industrial development, education, place of worship, housing projects, horticulture and floriculture subject to certain conditions and limitations. Exemptions can be given there is need.
          Law is nothing but commonsense. When commonsense dictates certain rules required needs change such things have to be implemented.
          Too much of liberty in this field is not good. The farmers should not be allowed to sell the lands, hence certain restrictions. Many of the farmers are not equipped with education, culture, and samskara to take any other avocation other than agriculture. If the farmer looses the agriculture land, others will be robbing his life.
•        The procedure for conversion of land by Deputy Commissioner is cumbersome. It needs to be simplified. What is your opinion?
          Perfect. In the districts of Bangalore within 18 kms vicinity, the offices are well equipped. There is a deputy commissioner.. If there are any suggestions to simplification of it, I will certainly look into it and the special deputy commissioner has been empowered to look into this matter I think 2 or 3 things will have to be done, in order to prevent certain indiscriminate conversions and other things. A proposal has to come to the government then there will be too many hierarchies. There will be a delayed matter, but there will be a change. It will be a preventive action, which will drop corruption.
•        The conversion of land is not reflected in RTC, which misguides the people why not it be made mandatory?
          I totally agree with you many a times. The rule says within 30 days it has to be done. Whenever there is a registration the information has to be given to the concerned Taluk office. The people who want to buy, or whosoever is entitled to, that particular property should have a pakka and full proof documents. So they have to make necessary changes as and when it is converted. Supposed if it is converted, they will have to say, yes it has been converted for residential / industrial / or any other. As it is it has to be done. Unfortunately it is not happening to an extent, which we decided. However hereafter I am going to improve the system. I will go on periodical checks. I will also make supervisory officers of the hierarchy to be responsible and pay attention to this where they are not dispersing of the cases.
•        Why not the department make it mandatory to mention the zonal regulation in RTC to avoid misuse of land?
            Why don’t come up with certain suggestions which leads to certain amendments to the law and where the administrative reforms was to be done at various levels, I will attend to it and see that changes are done wherever it is necessary. Any useful suggestion who ever is giving we will readily consider the same.

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