Bengaluru: Property owners who pay improvement charges can acquire an 'A-khata' certificate from the BBMP

By paying improvement costs, over 6 lakh ‘B-Khata’ property owners can obtain an ‘A-khata’ certificate from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

In a high-level meeting on April 13, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar proposed that the civic body provide khata and property identification numbers (PID) to all property owners in Bengaluru.

A-Khata homes have valid documentation that has been confirmed by state organisations. Property in violation of bylaws and buildings developed without building plan approval are examples of ‘B-Khata’ properties with abnormalities in the documentation. Since 2008, the BBMP has discontinued giving ‘A-Khata’ to properties that are in breach of bylaws and instead have kept a B registry, which has become known as B Khata properties.

The BBMP in its recent budget has projected a total revenue collection of Rs 10,484.28 crore. The corporation has estimated it would collect Rs 3,107 crore from property tax. It estimated revenue of Rs. 1000 crore from ‘B-Khata’ to ‘A-Khata’ Regularisation Scheme.

The conference discussed the subject, according to BBMP chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta, and it was recommended that ‘khata’ be granted to all properties. “The administration has yet to issue an executive order. Before any formal decision is made, several legal problems must be resolved,” he stated.

The Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission recently proposed collecting penalties and land conversion charges to convert ‘B-Khata’ to ‘A-Khata.’ The problem would be addressed in light of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, according to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.