Bengaluru: Expressing displeasure over the Revenue Department’s action of not issuing ‘Saaguvali’ chits (Letter of cultivation) to farmers who own lands in 10 km radius of urban areas, Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD) has urged the Government to issue Saaguvali chits to farmers in urban areas who have been cultivating land for generations.

Speaking during the debate on Budget at the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, GTD citing an example, said that areas such as Kumbarakoppal, Manchegowdanakoppal and Kannegowdana Koppal in Mysuru which were  villages decades ago, have not come under the City Corporation limits and urged the Government to issue letter of cultivation to farmers in urban areas to cultivate land, which are under cultivation for generations.

Suggesting the Government to allow half of urban  land holdings of farmers for cultivation and keep for itself the other half for usage as burial grounds, play grounds or such other public utilities, GTD asked the Government to abolish the rule that does not allow issuance of ‘Saaguvali Chit’ to farmers in 10 km radius of urban areas.

Lauding the Revenue Minister for launching ‘Jilladhikari Nade Halligala Kadege,’ the MLA wanted the Government to ensure a 7-hour (3 hours during day and 4 hours during night) uninterrupted  three-phase power supply for pumpsets of farmers so that they can sufficiently irrigate their land.

Recalling his village stays when he was the Mysuru District Minister, G.T. Devegowda said that he undertook 235 village stays and visited 2,352 villages during which the officials disposed off 84,000 of the total 1.23 lakh applications that were received then.