e-Khata stalled; over 2,000 Bandipalya APMC traders hit

Mysore/Mysuru: With authorities refusing to issue e-Khatas, over 2,000 traders operating at the Bandipalya APMC are facing severe hardship.

After the State Government made e-Khata mandatory for all properties, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) — itself a recognised local authority — has also been caught in the bureaucratic gridlock.

Traders argue that the crisis will persist unless APMC properties are exempted from e-Khata requirements, just as in the case of KIADB and Housing Board properties.

The APMC had earlier been empowered by the Government to sanction building plans and had developed essential amenities for farmers and traders. But the Government’s sudden halt on APMC’s plan-sanctioning powers has brought ongoing construction and transactions to a standstill.

Collapse of marketing system

Compounding the issue, the APMC premises fall under the jurisdiction of the Urban Planning Development Authority, which has now made it mandatory for the APMC to obtain approvals from the Authority for any construction plans. This shift has created an administrative bottleneck.

Adding to the confusion, the APMC area is split between the Chamundi Hill Gram Panchayat and Kadakola Town Panchayat. With new norms in place, the e-Khata process in both these Local Bodies has completely stalled, traders say.

The fallout has been significant. The non-issuance of e-Khatas has disrupted not just traders but the entire chain of agricultural trade. Banks have made e-Khata mandatory for loans, leaving traders unable to build structures on their allotted sites. Registration of sale deeds for newly allotted APMC sites has also been halted.

Traders warn that if the issue drags on, the market system may collapse, pushing farmers into a deep financial crisis as they may fail to secure competitive prices for their produce.

Many traders are now threatening to shut down businesses unless the Government intervenes immediately.

MLC C.N. Manjegowda, expressing concern, said that the now-suspended e-Khata system had helped traders secure ownership and bank support.

Pointing out that APMC is itself a Local Body, the MLC urged the Government to restore its plan-sanction powers and treat it as a special case to resolve the crisis without delay.