Karnataka state making changes to Land Reforms Act

The Karnataka government is making important changes to its Land Reforms Act, 1961, in a bid to accelerate industrial projects already signed up, as well as prospective ones. Chief minister BS Yediyurappa is pushing for changes after several senior executives of multinational companies he had met at Davos in January complained about the difficulties they were facing in getting possession of their preferred agriculture plots in the state to set up industrial units. Soon after his return from the World Economic Forum tour, the chief minister got the industries and revenue departments to work together and suggest changes in the processes as well as amendments to the law. Revenue minister R Ashoka will seek the Legislative Assembly’s approval to amend Section 109 of the Land Reforms Act to make purchase of farmland for industrial use, and later its sale, an easier exercise. The Assembly session began on Monday.