Step up issue of e-khatas to property owners, Yathindra tells MCC, urban local bodies

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Minister in-charge of Mysuru district Yathindra Siddaramaiah chairing a review meeting at Mysuru City Corporation premises in Mysuru on Friday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Minister for Urban Development Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who is also the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district, has directed the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and urban local bodies to step up the process of issuing e-khatas to property owners.

Speaking at a review meeting at the MCC in Mysuru on Friday, Mr. Yathindra called upon officials to encourage property owners to obtain e-khatas for their properties. He also directed them to ensure that all properties within MCC limits are mapped, to enable accurate assessment and collection of property tax.

The MCC, he said, should periodically revise rents of markets and commercial shops under its jurisdiction, as this would help the civic body increase its revenue. Referring to the failure of some commercial establishments to pay property tax since 2011, the Minister said notices should be issued and action taken as per the rules against all commercial establishments that had not paid property tax for two years.

Mr. Yathindra directed MCC officials to identify alternative spaces for footpath vendors to conduct their business. As vendors are being evicted to provide space for pedestrians, he said the MCC should discuss with MLAs of the city’s different Assembly constituencies, identify suitable locations zone-wise, and prepare plans for developing commercial complexes, food streets and markets, so that footpath vendors can be provided space to sell fruits, vegetables and other items.

Congress MLA representing Narasimharaja Assembly constituency Tanveer Sait said there was a need for authorities to rectify instances where persons who had earlier entered into rental agreements with the MCC were different from those currently running businesses at the premises.

Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda said the number of vehicles in the city was increasing, leading to growing parking problems on roads, and said every layout should have multi-level parking facilities.

Chamaraja MLA K. Harish Gowda said residents of small houses in the city were burdened with water bill arrears running into lakhs of rupees, which they could not afford to pay, and called for a solution to the problem.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa, Legislative Council members D. Thimmaiah, Vivekananda K. and R. Raghu, Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee chairperson Pushpavalli, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, MCC Commissioner M.K. Savitha and other officials were present.

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