Congress unveils ‘Bhu Guarantee’ in Karnataka

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development in-charge D. K. Shivakumar unveiled the sixth guarantee — Bhu Guarantee — of the Congress government in Karnataka.

The announcements on May 13 included a reduction in the guidance value cost that needs to be paid for conversion from B khata to A khata, regularisation of buildings in BDA areas constructed before 2008, notification of setback relaxations, and issuance of sites to land losers for the Shivaram Karanth Layout in Bengaluru.

He also announced a mass sapling plantation drive across Bengaluru on June 27.

Earlier, the Congress government had rolled out the provision for conversion of B khata to A khata in Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits by paying 5% of the guidance value of the particular area. Among the 23 lakh properties in Bengaluru, nearly 7 lakh have B khata. A mere 7,000 sites have been regularised so far. The major reason for the lack of interest is the higher conversion cost of 5% of the guidance value.

Now, the government has decided to reduce it to 2%, but the offer will be a one-time measure. Starting May 16, citizens will have a 100-day window to apply, after which the cost will again be raised to 5% of the guidance value.

In addition, for properties built on BDA land before 2008, the government plans to reduce the regularisation cost by 50%. For example, if a property owner has to pay 5% of the guidance value for regularisation, he can now pay just 2.5% and get the property regularised. There are about one lakh such properties in Bengaluru.

Further, Mr. Shivakumar announced that the Urban Development Department will soon notify new setback rules, allowing relaxations of up to 15%.

The Deputy Chief Minister revealed that the government will start distributing 18,000 sites to 3,500 land losers for the development of the Shivaram Karanth Layout. Further, he reiterated projects such as Phase 1 of the Bengaluru Business Corridor, for which 80% of the land acquisition has been completed; contracting out the short tunnel connecting Hebbal and the University of Agricultural Sciences; and the opening of the Major Arterial Road.

On the occasion of Kempegowda Jayanti, 15 lakh saplings will be planted across Bengaluru, according to Mr. Shivakumar.

He further said that more announcements will follow in the next 15 days.

These announcements coincide with the possibility of long-pending civic elections finally taking place in the city this year. While the Karnataka State Election Commission had earlier said civic polls in Bengaluru will be held between June 14 and 24, it has recently filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking extension till September 30 to hold the polls upon the request of officials in the State Government.

The term of the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council expired in September 2020. There has been no election since then. The Supreme Court had, in January 2026, set a June 30 deadline for civic polls in the city.