Good News For Karnataka Property Owners: Government To Issue B-Khata For Non E-Khata Holders

In a significant move to streamline property documentation in Karnataka, the state government has initiated a one-time measure to issue B-khata certificates to properties lacking e-documents. This decision, aimed at regularizing millions of properties across urban areas outside of Bangalore, was announced following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on January 7. The directive is set to benefit around 30 to 32 lakh plot properties currently without any electronic document, thereby facilitating their legal recognition for banking and loan services.

The gap in property documentation has long been a concern, with only 22 lakh out of 55 lakh plots in urban local bodies, excluding Bangalore, having an e-khata. The e-khata system, an electronic version of the traditional khata certificate, allows property owners to apply and download their account through an online portal, eliminating the need to visit municipal offices. A Khata certificates serve as a testament to a property's compliance with municipal regulations, featuring valid title deeds and legal approvals. On the other hand, B Khata certificates are issued for properties with minor discrepancies or those not fully compliant with municipal norms.

Streamlining Property Documentation

The government's strategy includes a phased approach to issuing B-khata certificates, taking into consideration the specific situations of each city. By February 10, a circular was released, mandating that all pending properties in the campaign model receive their B-khata within a maximum of three months. This decision follows the Supreme Court's directives on unauthorized plots and is part of a broader effort to eliminate such discrepancies in property documentation. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda highlighted the urgent need to comply with these directives, ensuring that every undocumented plot is identified and regularized.

The initiative doesn't stop with urban local bodies; plans are in place to extend this model to gram panchayat limits once the city limits campaign concludes. This comprehensive approach signifies a move towards a future where only A-khata exists, eradicating room for unauthorized plots and ensuring a streamlined process for property documentation across the state.

Ensuring Land Ownership

Parallel to the effort of regularizing property documents, the government has also launched the "Nanna Bhoomi" campaign aimed at guaranteeing land ownership for those without proper documents. Since its inception in the first week of December, the campaign has marked the lands of 26,000 grantees for survey, with 5,000 surveys already completed. Beneficiaries are provided with new RTCs, cadastral maps, and land titles, affirming their ownership. Minister Krishna Byre Gowda shared that the campaign has already matched the last three years' output in just two months under the Congress government, with 5,000 people receiving land ownership guarantees.

The overarching goal of these initiatives is ambitious, aiming to provide food security to 5 to 7 lakh families. By adopting a campaign model across all districts, the government is actively working to address the long-standing issue of land and property documentation, ensuring that every landowner has the necessary legal documents to validate their ownership and use their property for economic activities, including securing loans and conducting transactions.

The Karnataka government's concerted efforts to issue B-khata certificates to properties without e-documents and to guarantee land ownership through the "Nanna Bhoomi" campaign reflect a significant step towards regularizing property documentation and ensuring legal ownership across the state. These initiatives not only aim to streamline the process of property documentation but also to bolster economic activities by providing property owners the legal backing required for engaging with financial institutions.