REVENUE SITE AND THE CONVERSION ORDER FOR THE CHANGE OF
LAND USE (DC CONVERSION)
Revenue site is a property created in an agricultural/revenue land, without obtaining the appropriate sanction/conversion order from the jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner/Collector of the District. The very word revenue sites are a misnomer. The revenue land cannot be used for any purpose other than agriculture. Unless it is converted for non- agricultural residential purpose it remains as agricultural land. Formation of layouts is not permitted on agricultural land. A revenue site is an illegal creation. It will not have clear marketable titles. It will remain as an agricultural property, even though; it is bifurcated and sold as sites. The Government cannot use public funds to provide infrastructure or civic facilities for such properties. The financial institutions will not sanction loans against such properties. It is a fact that large stretches of land is required for agriculture and The Government Of Karnataka has enacted a statute to preserve the land for agriculture and change of land use from agriculture to non-agriculture purpose will have a negative impact on the production of food grains. Generally, change of land use from agriculture to non agriculture purposes are not encouraged unless and until it is very important and for residential purposes. CHANGE OF LAND USE OR DC CONVERSION AND CONDITIONS The Deputy Commissioner/Assistant Commissioner/Collector of the district will have all the data related to the district regarding the water source, valley, roads, KLR,KMC Act, KTCP Act, the titles of the schedule property, development programs and topographical map and related statutes. He will be assisted by the Village accountant, Shirestedar, Thasildar and Assistant Commissioner of the district and recommend the change of land use, if it is deemed fit and complies with all statutory regulations. Based on the recommendation, AC or DC issues appropriate orders, converting the use of land from agriculture to non-agriculture as per the appropriate Act. There is nominal fee payable for such approvals, upon the payment, the order is issued. The Conversion order is generally laced with conditions and is time bound. The conditions laid down in the Conversion Order has to be strictly complies to give proper effect to it, non-compliance or violations results in the automatic cancellation or revocation of the said order. The layouts needs approval from BDA or BMRDA or TOWN PLANNING AUTHORTIES, which is a very important pre-condition in the conversion order issued under KLR/KMC/KTCP ACTS. Anyone who purchases revenue site is purchasing a agricultural land. Selling and purchasing of agricultural land has strict restrictions. Only agriculturists with some income limit are permitted to purchase agricultural land. Any purchase in contravention of this stipulation make the transaction null and void and the purchaser will not get any title and may have to lose the money. Most of the Revenue sites fall under Green Belt Area. As per zonal regulation green belt area is meant only for agricultural purpose. The Revenue records such has Pahani(RTC) and Mutations of these lands remain in the name of the original owner even after it is purchased by others. Do not purchase a site in layouts formed in agricultural lands, and which are not converted for residential purpose and approved by the concerned town planning authority. Utmost care and precaution is required in purchasing sites and guidance of experienced advocate is necessary. Most of the illegal sites and layouts are formed by land mafia and rogue characters, with criminal background. They promise the stars and bury the buyer on the earth. The Government Of Karnataka has enacted a statute to preserve the land for agriculture and change of land use from agriculture to non-agriculture purpose will have a negative impact on the production of food grains. Generally, change of lande use from agricuture to non agriculture purposes are not encouraged unless and untill it is very important and for residential puposes. Deputy Commissioners/Collectors/Assistant Commissioners of the District has been vested with powers to change the use of land from Revenue to other purposes. The Revenue Department or commissionrate office with latest topographical data and statute, studies and process the application for the change of land use from Revenue to Residential, Industrial, Public Semi Public and Commercial use. If the application is found to be in order and comply with all statutory requirements, Conversion is permitted, subject to conditions and payment of conversion charges and in some cases Betterment Charges or Improvement charges as necessary. The change of land use accorded by the Deputy Commissioner must also coincide with a layout plan for residential layouts which must obtain KSPCB Clearance or Consent in addition to obtaining layout approval from the jurisdictional town planning authorities. Many citizens have bought revenue sites with kaneshmari numbers, house site numbers & plots and are unable to neither sell nor liquidate it. BBMP does not approve such layouts and does not sanction building plan. Even obtaining power connection and water connection is on misrepresentation of facts, on such properties, if detected liable for disconnection. City Municipal Council Sites There WERE 7 City Municipal Councils and one Town Municipal Council surrounding the Bangalore city. The sites in the limits of these authorities are mostly owned by private individuals, some of the sites are acquired by Government. Infrastructure is very poor. The process of tracing the title is very complicated. But some extra pre cautions need to be taken. Verify whether the betterment charges have been paid, if not purchaser may have to pay it in the future. Many lands in the area of these local bodies are agricultural lands and conversion to non-agricultural purpose must have to be done. Presently City Municipal Councils have stopped collecting betterment charges and issuing Khatas. If the owner doesnt have a Khata, he cannot construct the house with the plan approved from CMC. Site in private layouts These are layout formed by private parties, other than statutory development authorities. Many reputed land developers have formed layouts around the city. Verify all the documents as required in case of private property for a period of 43 years. Apart, from the above check whether the land is converted for residential purpose and the layouts are approved by BDA or BMRDA. Verify the records with respective offices. Many numbers of private layouts with D.C. conversion and panchayat approval are available. Purchase of these type of sites involves little risk. Gramathana Sites These are residential sites, which were originally available in village panchayat areas. They can be distinguished from Kaneshumari number, assigned to them. The agricultural lands have survey numbers. The sites of this nature are very few. Government has put restrictions on issue of license for construction by village panchayats beyond their approved Gramathana area, original Gramathana sites can be identified by examining old village survey maps available in survey department. Examine all the records as is done in case of private property. In addition verify the village records and form No. 9 and 10. Form No. 9 denotes Gramathana site and form No. 10 denotes the building, which confirm that the particular property is original Gramathana site or not. But many village panchayats issue from No. 9 & 10, though they are not Gramathana sites. Many such sites fall in green belt area, where construction of residential buildings is restricted. Extra caution is necessary while buying Gramathana Sites.