Stay on circular exempting government, forest land properties from tax

CH NEWS BENGALURU The Karnataka government has temporarily stayed its August 13 circular on excluding properties on government and forest land from tax assessment and the e-Swathu 2.0 system, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre said on Thursday. The circular had been issued in connection with legislation approved by both Houses of the state legislature and assented to by the Governor, Khandre said. However, several legislators cutting across party lines raised concerns over the order during a special session held to discuss the Kasturirangan report. “People living in houses already constructed on forest-edge and government land need not worry. A high-level committee will be formed to find a solution to the issue,” Khandre said. He said the committee would include senior officials from the Revenue, Forest, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj departments. The government would examine the issue and arrive at a solution, he added. Khandre said clear instructions had been issued to the chief executive officers of all zilla panchayats not to initiate any process related to the August 13 circular until further orders. The minister also announced a programme to provide free modern art education to rural children through gram panchayat libraries. The initiative aims to encourage creativity and help children develop skills in the arts. He was speaking after witnessing the exchange of a MoU between the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru. Under the agreement, the department will facilitate the programme’s implementation and outreach, while NGMA will develop art education models and resources. It will also provide selected digital artworks from its permanent collection for educational purposes and train librarians and resource persons. The India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) will develop the curriculum and support capacity building and implementation. It will also independently evaluate and monitor the programme. Tax circular • Date: August 13 • Status: Temporarily stayed • Areas: Government and forest land • System: e-Swathu 2.0 • Committee: Revenue, Forest, RDPR officials Art education • Target: Rural children • Venue: Gram panchayat libraries • Partner: NGMA Bengaluru • Curriculum: India Foundation for the Arts

FREE ART EDUCATION Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has partnered with the National Gallery of Modern Art to introduce free modern art education for children visiting gram panchayat libraries. NGMA will develop teaching models, provide selected digital artworks and train librarians and resource persons. The India Foundation for the Arts will prepare the curriculum and support implementation, capacity building, independent evaluation and monitoring of the programme across rural areas.