Date:12/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/12/stories/2008101258650300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sakrama: fee refund to start from October 15

Staff Reporter

The amount will be returned to nearly 4,000 applicants

The BJP Government has put the scheme on hold
Revised guidelines for scheme likely by December

BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will refund nearly Rs. 28 crore collected under the Akrama-Sakrama (regularisation of unauthorised development and construction) scheme to the applicants from October 15 to 30.

As the Government is yet to take a final decision on its promise to revise the scheme, the palike thought it fit to refund the amount to nearly 4,000 applicants.

If the applicants do not wish to get the refund, the amount will be retained in their credit.

It will be adjusted towards the fee payable under the amended scheme as and when it is implemented, according to Deputy Commissioner (Resources) U.A. Vasantha Rao. The amount lying in the BBMP accounts will not bear any interest.

Mr. Rao told The Hindu that the BBMP Commissioner took the decision to refund the amount as the Government was likely to revise the scheme again.

The scheme could be made easy. The scheme — Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Regularisation of unauthorised development or construction) Rules, 2007, was passed by the legislature.

The officer said the palike had spent considerable amount on implementing the scheme in 2007.

It had spent over Rs. 1 crore on advertisement campaign alone, besides utilising its complete machinery for implementing the scheme before the Karnataka High Court put it on hold in December 2007.

Report

The Cabinet sub-committee on property tax collection and regularisation headed by Transport Minister R. Ashok is yet to submit its report on the regularisation scheme, though it has already submitted a report favouring self-assessment scheme for property tax collection.

After the High Court put the scheme on hold, the government under the President’s Rule, drastically slashed the Sakrama fee for small sites.

While the fee for sites measuring less than 60 sq m was brought down to Rs. 40 a sq m from Rs. 200, that of between 60 sq m and 120 sq m was brought down from Rs. 400 to Rs. 160 a sq m.

However, after the B.S. Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party Government came to power, the scheme was put on hold, considering the public outcry against the high rates of Sakrama fee.

The Government has promised to come out with revised guidelines for the scheme by December.

Refunds will be made only at the head office, BBMP. After October 30, they will be made at the office of the JDTP, BBMP, head office.