Karwar: Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has announced a comprehensive drive to resolve the pending Bagair Hukum (land regularization) applications across the state. Addressing beneficiaries at Ambedkar Bhavan in Sirsi on Wednesday, the minister stated that the applications, numbering in the lakhs, will be processed in a campaign mode over the next six months.

“For the first time in the state, the approval process for Bagair Hukum will be carried out entirely online. This initiative is being launched in Sirsi, where beneficiaries will be provided with all necessary documents, including land ownership records,” he said.

The minister distributed Bagair Hukum cultivation certificates, revenue records, and land ownership documents to beneficiaries during the event. He assured that 3,800 tandas (hamlets) and residential areas housing 1.5 lakh families, which have been excluded from official village records, will be converted into recognized revenue villages, granting permanent rights to the inhabitants.

In Uttara Kannada district, 630 farmers who have submitted Form 57 applications for Bagair Hukum land regularization will receive ownership documents within the next month. “There are 16 villages in the district without proper documentation, where people have lived for hundreds of years. We are regularizing these areas, including eight villages each in Mundgod and Haliyal, and granting ownership rights to 50 families immediately, with 1,125 more families to be covered within a week. Remaining families will receive their rights after paying nominal fees,” he added.

The minister also addressed the issue of forest rights, emphasizing that the Forest Rights Committee's work should not be stalled due to the absence of elected representatives in local bodies. “As per the Chief Minister’s directive, local administrative officers will act as committee members to ensure the resolution of pending forest rights applications,” he instructed the Deputy Commissioner.

The event was attended by District In-Charge Minister Mankal Vaidya, MLAs Bhimanna Naik and Shivaram Hebbar, Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya, and Assistant Commissioner K.V. Kavyarani, among other dignitaries.