3 days ago
Karnataka: Rules to tax unauthorised properties in rural areas soon
BENGALURU
: Rural development and panchayat raj minister
Priyank Kharge
Thursday said guidelines to bring all unauthorised properties in rural areas under the purview of local bodies like gram panchayats for the purpose of collecting property tax will be ready by mid-July. The move is part of measures to implement The
Karnataka
Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed in March.
"We are drawing up guidelines to bring illegal layouts in rural areas into the tax net," said Priyank. "By rolling out the initiative, we can bring around 95 lakh properties under the purview of property tax."
While addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Priyank highlighted achievements of the RDPR department over the past two years. He said the department collected over Rs 1,273 crore in revenue this year and it will increase once unauthorised properties start paying tax. He said the department has issued e-khatas to over 50 lakh properties. He said the department has achieved several new initiatives, such as Arivu Kendras (digital libraries), creches, and e-khatas for rural properties, among others.
Hitting back at criticism from BJP, which accused him of "doing nothing" for RDPR in the state, he said the central govt had awarded Karnataka RDPR the No. 1 position for decentralisation of power in the state. "This was given by Prime Minister Modi, but BJP still accuses me of not working," Priyank said.
He said that while the Centre has ignored the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, the state provided employment for over 55 lakh people under the scheme in the past two years.
Priyank said Karnataka has continued to implement the Jal Jeevan mission to provide safe drinking water in rural areas and that the state and Centre should bear project expenses equally.
"The Centre's share is over Rs 3,400 crore but it has released only Rs 515 crore. The Union minister informed us that it would allocate the pending amount in the next budget and requested the state to arrange the funds for the scheme," he said.
He said chief minister Siddaramaiah released funds to balance the Union govt's share, and the implementation of the scheme continues without any hindrance. "But BJP is falsely alleging that the state govt is not utilising funds released by the centre for the Jal Jeevan mission," he said.
