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Karnataka Today newsletter: KIADB now sole authority for property tax collection in Special Investment Regions, and more

In a major reprieve for industries in Mysuru, the Karnataka government has notified that henceforth property tax in the Special Investment Regions (SIR) should be paid only to Karnataka Industrial Area Development Authority (KIADB). The move not only brings long-awaited clarity to administrative confusion and marks a significant milestone in the formal roll-out of the Industrial Township Authority under which a single agency will collect the taxes.

This was a long-pending demand of the local industries as they were burdened with paying taxes to local bodies without the benefits by way of infrastructure development. The property tax paid to local bodies was in addition to the tax paid to KIADB for maintenance, and it was proving to be an economic burden.

Restoration of the desiccated Janawada lake in Bidar district of Karnataka, as part of the Mission Amrit Sarovar programme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has rejuvenated a vital ecosystem, enhancing the livelihood of local fishermen by providing significant support to fish farming.

Rejuvenation of the 57-acre Janawada lake was taken up between November 2022 and April 2023 at a cost of ₹5 lakh. Janawada lake, which was drained a few years ago, was brought back to life during the last two monsoon seasons. The lake has been leased out to Sagar society for fish farming. In the last two years, they have harvested around 10 quintals of fish, an officer said.

Kalaburagi is poised to become the next major IT hub in the State, with the Karnataka government and the PDA College of Engineering collaborating to launch a world-class incubation centre and an Offshore Development Centre (ODC) to support and guide local entrepreneurs.

Deputy Commissioner Fauzia Taranum said the initiative aligned with the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP) of the State, which was announced in the 2025 budget with a ₹1,000 crore grant to drive innovation and create 5 lakh jobs across Tier-II cities, including Kalaburagi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mysuru, and Mangaluru.

Members of Koli-Kabbaliga Samanvaya Samiti have alleged that the death of 23-year-old Sridhar Navalkar on April 7 was the result of the failure of the district administration to check illegal sand mining in Belagumpa village in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district. Samiti member Avvanna Myakeri said that illegal sand mining continues under the nose of district authorities.