Does not apply to those opting for marriage registration under the Special Marriage Karnataka Rules, 1961

Bengaluru/Mysuru: In a bid to boost marriage registrations and streamline the application process, Karnataka has introduced an online registration facility for marriages governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

The initiative was inaugurated by Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda at the Malleswaram Sub-Registrar Office in Bengaluru on Feb. 15. The facility will be extended to all Sub-Registrar’s Offices across the State including Mysuru before the end of this month.

Explaining the convenience of the new system, he stated, “Individuals are no longer required to physically visit the Sub-Registrar’s Office to register their marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act. Instead, they can generate a certificate from the comfort of their home by submitting a wedding invitation or video, and undergoing Aadhaar authentication. This marks another stride towards transparency and efficient service delivery.”

Additionally, the State has introduced an online application process for marriages falling under the purview of the Special Marriage Act, of 1954. After providing all the necessary documents online, a visit to the Sub-Registrar’s Office will only be for registration.

Nevertheless, for individuals reluctant to undergo Aadhaar authentication, the option for offline registration at the Sub-Registrar’s Office remains available. Notably, this alternative does not apply to those opting for marriage registration under the Special Marriage Karnataka Rules, 1961, which necessitates a one-month notice period and the physical presence of both the bride and groom before the Sub-Registrar.

Officials have indicated that the online registration facility is currently being piloted at the Malleswaram Sub-Registrar Office and is slated for expansion to other regions of the State by the end of the month. Citizens can access this service via the dedicated portal (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in). Notably, two marriage registrations were successfully conducted online according to the established schedule.

On Feb. 1, the Karnataka Cabinet endorsed amendments to the Hindu Marriage Registration Act, streamlining the process by facilitating online registration and mitigating the risks of identity fraud and fraudulent registrations. These reforms were initially proposed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the 2023-24 Budget speech.

Despite a 2006 Supreme Court directive mandating compulsory marriage registration, the State Government reports that only around 30 percent of marriages in Karnataka are presently registered.

A legal requirement

Marriage certificates can now be obtained online through the Kaveri portal and dedicated software is currently under development. Senior officials responsible for this initiative are actively engaging in discussions with us. However, a specific implementation date in Mysuru has not been announced. With the introduction of online marriage registration, there is a potential for a significant increase in registrations. Previously, some individuals registered marriages solely to access government benefits. However, there is now a growing trend of more people opting for marriage registration, driven by an increased awareness of this legal requirement. There is a growing understanding among the populace that marriage must be legally registered following the ceremony. —Vijayalakshmi Inamdar, District Registrar

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Mysore/Mysuru: At a progress review meeting of the Revenue Department at the Regional Commissioner’s Office yesterday, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda directed officers to enhance their efforts to uphold the Government’s reputation.

He bombarded officers with inquiries, emphasising the importance of efficiently distributing drought relief to farmers. He questioned the status of the updated Farmers Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System (FRUITS ID), expressed concern about delays in handling cases at the High Court and inquired about the reasons behind delays in survey works.

The Minister also raised questions about the officers’ commitment of collecting loans and reminded them of the number of revenue villages, urging them to be vigilant and aware of their responsibilities.

Expressing his disappointment with the officers, Krishna Byre Gowda took them to task for not meeting the target set under the FRUITS ID software. He highlighted that in Mysuru district, less than 75 percent of the target has been achieved, despite the State Government seeking drought relief from the Centre for affected farmers.

Despite a Central team visiting the State to assess the drought situation, assistance from the Centre is still pending. As a result, the State Government has decided to bear the first instalment, but the Minister emphasised that addressing the farmers’ woes is contingent on completing the updates under the FRUITS ID process.

He further instructed the officers to exercise caution in managing drinking water supply, particularly during the summer months. A priority was set to declare all 110 identified villages in Mysuru district as revenue villages, with only 52 of them having received final notifications. Special attention was urged for the prompt disposal of applications received under ‘Bagar Hukum’ lands, ensuring the eligibility of the applicants.

Highlighting a significant backlog, Gowda noted that there are 721 pending cases related to the Revenue Department in Mysuru at the High Court and expressed dissatisfaction with Tahsildars for the lack of action, pointing out that no steps have been taken in 386 cases, including filing arguments in the Court.

Additionally, Krishna Byre Gowda issued a warning, stating that notices would be served to officers failing to dispose of at least 80 percent of their files through e-office, despite it being mandatory for the past six months.

MLAs G.T. Devegowda, G.D. Harish Gowda, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Regional Commissioner Dr. G.C. Prakash and Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra were present.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has said that the digitisation process of original land records of the assets coming under the Revenue Department has been launched.

He was speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan on JLB Road in city yesterday.

“The process of digitisation of land records has been taken up on a pilot basis at one taluk in each of the 31 districts. In the later stage, the process will be extended to all taluks and will be completed by this year,” he added.

Digitising land records would be a significant boon for individuals who currently run from pillar to post to obtain these records. Digitisation of land records would allow people to access and obtain them conveniently from the comfort of their homes.

Additionally, the current practice of physically searching for documents in record rooms poses the risk of loss and there are instances of unauthorised alterations that can lead to hardships for individuals, as some may exploit these changes later. To address these issues, the Department is implementing reforms to ensure the integrity and accessibility of land records while preventing unauthorised modifications, the Minister said.

Krishna Byre Gowda also assured that Government offices functioning in private buildings will be shifted to Government buildings soon. There are several rooms in Government-owned buildings including the Old Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Mysuru that are lying vacant. Still, several offices including that of Sub-Registrars are functioning in private buildings on rent, he noted.

Replying to a media query over the lobby of building owners turning into a racket, Gowda said “I will collect information from local MLAs in this regard and shortly Government Offices functioning in private buildings will be shifted to Government buildings.”

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Revenue Minister assures speedy land transfer

Bengaluru: In a significant development, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has committed to expeditiously transferring the necessary land for the construction of an airstrip in Kodagu District to the District Administration.

This assurance followed a meeting held yesterday at Vikasa Soudha in Bengaluru, presided over by Krishna Byre Gowda and attended by Kodagu District In-charge Minister N.S. Boseraju.

The Kodagu District Administration conducted a comprehensive land survey for the proposed airstrip near Kushalnagar. Initially, a 49.5-acre plot near Sainik School, Kushalnagar (Koodige) at Doddathoor village, bordering Basavanathoor village, was identified in the first survey.

However, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deemed it insufficient, prompting a re-survey. The second survey identified over 130 acres of land at Dodda Aluvara village near Koodige, within the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department, addressing the need for additional space.

Minister Boseraju, addressing reporters post-meeting, noted that issues related to the Revenue Department were brought to his attention during the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting in Kodagu a few days ago. He stated, “The meeting with the Revenue Minister aimed to find solutions to these problems.”

Expressing satisfaction, Minister Boseraju affirmed, “The Revenue Minister’s positive response to the land transfer for the airstrip instils confidence in the timely resolution of the highlighted issues.”

The meeting also delved into acquiring necessary grants and permissions for constructing a mini Vidhana Soudha and an administration building in newly established taluks. Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna and Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda, along with various officers, attended the meeting.

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Belagavi: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that inter-district transfer of Police couples is allowed in State Police Department.

Replying  to a query of BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, he said: “There is already a provision for the inter-district transfer of husband and wife serving in the Police Department. While a suitable decision will be taken with regard to the proposal to increase the minimum period of transfer of Police Officers to two years.”

Earlier, the minimum period of transfer in Police Department was two years, which was reduced to one year, seven years ago, said Krishna Byre Gowda.

Yatnal had urged the Government to increase the minimum period of transfer to two years, as it takes one year to suppress goonda elements, making it difficult to handle criminal cases.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that Tahsildar, Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner courts have been set a three-month deadline for resolution/settlement of all revenue disputes and litigations which have remained pending for 6 months to five years.

Addressing a press meet here last evening, Krishna Byre Gowda expressed disappointment that officials have pushed the Government to a corner by not settling thousands of cases concerning revenue disputes.

Noting that as many as 4,362 cases have remained in the hearing stage in Tahsildar courts of Mysuru Revenue division, he said that all the Revenue courts have been set a three-month deadline to dispose off cases. Such speedy disposal will prevent people running from pillar to post, he added.

Continuing, Krishna Byre Gowda said there are a total of 3,513 cases pending in the Deputy Commissioner Courts of Mysuru division, which included 652 cases in Chikkamagalur, 213 in Chamarajanagar, 507 in Dakshina Kannada, 547 in Hassan, 140 in Kodagu, 320 in Mandya, 1,040 in Mysuru and 130 in  Udupi districts.

Pointing out that Tahsildars should take up the cases at least 2 days and the Assistant Commissioners at least 3 days a week, he said that the department officials have been asked to show results in the next progress review meeting. The public too are asked to co-operate in speedy disposal of pending revenue disputes , he added.

Referring to Mysuru, the Minister said that a detailed Master Plan has been prepared for Mysuru,in which the residential areas have been clearly marked. There is no need for land conversion for construction of houses or formation of residential layouts in such areas, he clarified.

Maintaining that policies are being simplified in such matters, he said that Kaveri-2 software has been introduced for property registration. Stating  that there has been delay in issuance of ECs (Encumbrance Certificate), he said the issue will be addressed soon.

“There are as many as 88,577 RTCs pending for disposal in Mysuru Revenue Sub-division. The officials have been instructed to resolve all these cases in three months”, he said.

Highlighting the  plans for checking  encroachment of Government lands and properties, he said that a Mobile App is being created for the purpose. Stating that this App has been named as ‘Beat App’, he asserted that the App will be of much help to Village Accountants and other officials in preventing encroachment of Government properties.

Krishna Byre G owda further said e-Office, that is developed with the latest technology,  will start functioning from Aug.15 and the office of the Deputy Commissioner should communicate with the Head Office through this Software only. The e-Office will help in speedy disposal of files also maintain transparency, he added.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has announced that a concerted effort will be undertaken to clear encroachments on Government lands, including lakes, throughout the State, starting from Bengaluru.

“I have asked officials to prepare a preliminary list of Government lands that have been encroached by land sharks, at the earliest, and instructed them to conduct eviction drives every weekend,” he said.

He made this statement while speaking to the media during a progress review meeting of the Revenue Department in Mysuru Division. The meeting took place at the Regional Commissioner’s Office on Hunsur Road in the city this morning.

Regarding the ongoing issue of encroachments on Government lands, the Minister stated that discussions were held during separate meetings for Bengaluru Urban and Rural Divisions in Bengaluru. He emphasised the need to pressure officials to remove encroachments and recover the land.

Fencing to be done

As a step toward this, a list of encroached Government assets, including lake areas, has been summoned from officers by the upcoming Saturday. The subsequent actions will be based on a timetable devised by the officers themselves. He further stated that a similar drive to clear encroachments will be carried out across the State.

Besides clearing the encroachments, the officials, through regular weekly meetings, should also take steps to fence the said lands, Krishna Byre Gowda added.

When questioned about potential obstacles that might hinder the clearance of encroachments, the Minister responded by stating that no external pressures are present, as the Chief Minister has granted the freedom to remove encroachments on Government lands. However, the challenge lies in motivating officers to meet monthly targets for the removal of encroachments.

Revenue Adalat

In relation to the reintroduction of the Revenue Adalat, a mechanism in place earlier, the Minister explained that this initiative was introduced by the previous Congress Government. It proved beneficial in resolving land-related disputes for the affected individuals.

The Village Accountants (VA) were empowered to make ad hoc corrections in documents, while more complex cases were addressed at higher levels. He highlighted the significance of division-wise meetings like the one held in the city, underlining that there are still numerous pending cases of land disputes awaiting resolution at the levels of Tahsildars and Assistant Commissioners. The aim is to expedite the resolution of these cases to spare people the burden of daily struggles in their lives. He stressed the need to prepare officers to work within specific time-frames and conduct thorough reviews of individual cases.

The Mysuru Division meeting is being attended by Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Tahsildars and other officials associated with the Revenue Department from eight districts, including Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru. The meeting is set to conclude this evening.

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Cabinet decides to privatise their management through tenders in each taluk

Bengaluru: The State Cabinet has decided to outsource the management of water dispensing ATMs to private agencies to ensure 24×7 availability of safe drinking water to people.

It is also decided to have a smart card-based system for drinking water ATMs.  

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting here, State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that the State Government has decided to outsource the water management to private parties due to the poor management of water purifying units in rural areas.

The outsourcing will be done taluk-wise. Currently, 600 to 800 ATMs remain out of order due to technical glitches at any time of the day. Out of 1,800 water-dispensing ATM across the State, only 1,600 are functional.

RDPR will give Rs.15,000 per unit to contractors who get the contract to move ATMs from coin-based system to card-based system and Rs.3,000 will be given for repairing and maintenance.

With expenditure overshooting the revenue in the management of the ATMs, the Government will reimburse the difference through viability gap funding model to the agency for a five-year period costing Rs.233 crore for five years, he said.

The Minister also cited the lack of manpower in Gram Panchayat responsible for no maintenance of the water ATMs.

Moreover, the expenditure incurred for supplying a litre of drinking water was 35 paise, which was less when compared to the expenditure to be incurred.

At present, in Bengaluru, the residents are getting 20 litres of water at Rs.5 coin. This smart card will eliminate the issue of the coin shortage.

The Minister also said that many people drop metal or other material causing damage to the machine. Thus the smart card will reduce the issue of physical damages to the machines, he said.

Tenders would be called taluk-wise to ensure quick repair and easy maintenance. Moreover, taluk-wise tenders would also generate jobs to locals, he maintained.

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RDPR Minister Krishna Byre Gowda expresses ire

Mysuru: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has alleged that the Central Government was not releasing grants to RDPR Department on time.

He was addressing media persons after holding a progress review meeting with Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Deputy Secretaries at the Abdul Nazir Saab auditorium at the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) premises here yesterday, and said that the Centre had to release a lot of grants for drinking water and MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) schemes.

Earlier, the Centre would release funds under 75:25 ratio but after NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government came to power, it has been reduced to 60:40 ratio. Even according to this, the Centre is not releasing grants, he said.

When the State was reeling under severe drought conditions in 2016, out of the Rs. 2,175 crore, it still had not released Rs. 935 crore till now. Including this grant, the Centre has to release dues to the tune of Rs. 1,800 crore.

In spite of the 25 MPs of Karnataka, under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge urging the Centre to release funds, nothing has happened so far,  he charged.

Launch of permanent works: The State has released Rs. 2,400 crore to tackle drinking water problem in the coming summer months. A total of 162 taluks had been declared drought-hit and authorities were supplying drinking water through water tankers in 284 villages. In another 362 villages, which face drinking water scarcity, the authorities had hired borewells to supply drinking water, he said.

MGNREGA assistance for farmers: The Department had set a target of 8.5 crore man-days and the State is all set to cross its target under the MGNREGA scheme and reach its highest ever target of 10.5 crore man-days for the year 2018-19, claimed Byre Gowda.

Even though two-and-half-months are left for the financial year to conclude, already 90.6 per cent of the work has been completed. The annual target was to spend Rs. 3,780 crore under the scheme this year, but Rs. 2,290 crore had already been spent so far, he added.

There is no condition that farmers should work under MGNREGA scheme in Government programmes. The farmers holding BPL cards can grow horticulture crops like sapota, banana, coconut, mango in their own lands for which the Government will give grants. For instance if the farmers want to buy saplings, they will be given labour cost under MGNREGA. Under this scheme there is a provision for granting Rs. 1.5 lakh and Rs. 250 has been fixed for labour. Like every year, this year also it will be hiked, he said.

The two-day workshop will conclude today and new development works will be taken up for discussion.

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