The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will operationalise e-Khata open houses under the title “Nanna e-Khata, Nanna Hakku” at 52 different locations across the city, covering all five city corporations, from Saturday.

The open houses will function every Saturday, where people can get their khata-related works done. The initiative is aimed at promoting both issuance of e-Khatas and the conversion of B-Khata to A-Khata, which Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has been championing.

The details of the locations where the open houses will be set up can be obtained from the GBA website. The two major services that will be extended at the venues include applying for and obtaining e-Khata, and B to A Khata conversion. At every location, at least 100 people can access the services every Saturday.

Earlier this week, Mr. Shivakumar announced a 60% discount on the B to A khata conversion fee. Originally, the government had fixed the conversion cost at 5% of the guidance value of the area where the plot is located. However, among the 7 lakh B-Khata properties in the city, a meagre 7,000 applications were received and processed.

Against the backdrop of poor public response, the GBA has now rolled out a 100-day window, starting Saturday, during which the conversion cost will be 2% of the guidance value of the area where the plot is located.

As per a government rder dated May 14, the concession will apply only to applications for conversion of B-Khata to A-Khata submitted during the 100-day window. It will also benefit applicants who had already applied for conversion but are yet to pay the required amount. Such applicants can avail the reduced 2% rate if payment is completed on or before August 23. 

For these pending cases where payments are pending, but applications are approved, revised demand notices will be generated through the online system. 

Past payments in limbo

However, the order does not clarify whether applicants who have already paid the earlier 5% fee will receive any refund or adjustment following the temporary reduction to 2%. 

Moreover, the concession will not apply to fresh A-Khata issuance under single-site approvals. In such cases, the existing requirement of paying 5% of the property’s guideline value will continue as per prevailing norms, the order said.