Housing cooperative societies in the State will soon be able to buy farmland in bulk directly from the owners without much hassles.
The State government is planning to bring in amendments to the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act in order to simplify rules pertaining to residential layout formation by housing cooperative societies in the State, Cooperation Minister H S Mahadev Prasad told reporters on Monday.
“Housing cooperative societies are performing better than urban development authorities as far as distribution of plots to people for housing purposes. Hence the government wants to encourage them to continue with the service by simplifying the rules,” he stated.
One of the biggest hurdles being faced by the societies is with regard to the purchase of farmland. The existing rules are very cumbersome.
The deputy commissioners (DC) of the district can sanction only up to ten acres to a society. For more than ten acres, the State Cabinet has to approve the proposal.
As a result, the societies normally go in for joint development agreement or general power of attorney with the land owner.
This on many occasions leads to legal complications and delay in formation of layouts, official sources explained.
The government is planning to increase the limit for the deputy commissioners to sanction bulk land, besides simplifying rules pertaining to the procedures for the sanction of land.
This apart, a provision will be made for the societies to purchase land directly in their names, he added.
Mahadev Prasad said the government had recently sent a team of officials to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to study the procedure being followed in those states. The team has submitted its report and the government is examining it.
There are no restrictions on purchase of farmland in Tamil Nadu. The government there has established a single window agency for one to purchase farm lands.
Discussions are being held with the Karnataka Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad on simplifying the procedure for farmland purchase, he added.
‘Politically motivated’
The Cooperation minister termed BJP leader D V Sadananada Gowda’s accusation that the government has not released money towards crop loan waiver scheme, as politically motivated and said only about Rs 300 crore are due to be cleared of the total Rs 3,500 crore under the scheme.
Yashasvini scheme to be extended
The Cooperation Minister said the government has decided to extend Yashasvini health insurance scheme to the members of all urban cooperative societies in the State from the next financial year. The members may have to pay annual premium of Rs 1,200 each to avail the scheme. There are about 40 lakh members in about 3,000 different urban cooperative societies.
The beneficiaries are entitled to 823 surgical procedures identified in 13 specialities in the medical field apart from emergency treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh each. Members can seek treatment at any one of the 476 participating established government and private hospitals, including some leading corporate hospitals and clinics. The enrolment in all urban centres will begin in February 2014, he added.
Mahadev Prasad said the government will have to spend about Rs 60 crore per year for this purpose. “We will run the scheme by mainly collecting the premium amount. We are not very clear about how much will be the additional burden on the government. It will be known only after implementing the scheme,” he stated.
Currently, only farmers who are members of rural cooperative societies are entitled to benefit from the scheme.