A Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report has found several irregularities in the grant, lease, removal of encroachment, and regularisation of unauthorised occupation of government land between 2012-13 and 2016-17.
A total of 117 acres was allotted to 24 beneficiaries even though they did not meet the eligibility criteria. In fact, the Congress was allotted 30 guntas of land in Channapatna and Ramanagaram taluks, even though the rules bar land allotment to political parties. Besides, the audit found that in 11 cases a total of 47 acres and 21 guntas of land was granted even when there was no application from the beneficiaries.
The CAG also found that the State did not have a centralised database of lease/grant of government land and land available in each district for lease/grant, leading to confusion in many cases. According to the report, as a result lands were not taken back after the expiration of lease.
To correct this problem, the CAG report has recommended that the State government digitise all lease and grant records and create a centralised electronic database on them.