No Reward For Encroachment, But Relief For The Poor: Karnataka Govt Sets Clear Line On Kogilu Layout Homes | The Bengaluru Live

📘 Read this story in Kannada

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has taken a firm yet humanitarian stand on the controversial Kogilu Layout housing issue, making it clear that illegal encroachment on government land will not be rewarded, even as genuine homeless families will be provided housing strictly through a legal and transparent process.

Key decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Housing Minister B. Zameer Ahmed Khan, focusing on the allotment of government houses to the homeless residing in and around the disputed Kogilu Cross area.

The ministers categorically stated that encroachment on government land, especially by paying intermediaries or land mafias, cannot be tolerated. Granting houses merely because sheds have been erected on public land would send a wrong message to society and indirectly encourage land grabbing, the ministers observed.

While acknowledging that the poor deserve dignity and shelter, the government clarified that humanitarian relief cannot override the rule of law. Any housing allotment must be done only after verifying eligibility and following due legal procedures.

No Reward for Encroachment, But Relief for the Poor: Karnataka Govt Sets Clear Line on Kogilu Layout Homes

The meeting underlined that a detailed investigation must first be conducted to ascertain who the occupants are, where they came from, and how long they have been residing in Karnataka. Officials informed the ministers that there are indications of families from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar among those occupying the area.

The government decided that:

Priority will be given to Kannadigas who have been residing in Kogilu Layout for more than five years.
Families who migrated to Bengaluru from other parts of Karnataka will be considered on a priority basis.
Even if the mother tongue is not Kannada, families whose roots are in Karnataka and who have lived here for generations may be considered, subject to verification through Village Accountants (VA) and Dafedars in their native taluks.
Families from colonies such as Wasim Colony, if found to be originally from Karnataka, will also be eligible.
While reiterating that “the poor are poor, and Indians are Indians”, the government stressed that Kannadigas will receive first preference.

For families from outside Karnataka who have been residing in the state for over five years, the ministers advised them to apply under the state government’s ₹1-lakh housing scheme for the urban poor, instead of seeking immediate allotment under the Kogilu Layout decision.

To prevent misuse, the government directed that only one house be allotted per family, based on one ration card, even if multiple applications have been submitted.

Officials were also instructed not to delay allotment to eligible Kannadigas under the pretext of identifying or verifying out-of-state occupants. Housing for eligible beneficiaries should begin in the first phase itself, the ministers said.

In Pakir Colony, where 35 houses are available and a majority of applicants are found eligible, the government directed that 25 to 30 houses be allotted by Thursday, with the remaining eligible families to be accommodated in a phased manner.

The decisions signal the government’s intent to strike a balance between social justice, legality, and regional priority, while sending a strong message against organised land encroachment on public property.