Generally the lands available in Karnataka are basically agriculture in nature, as the major occupation is agriculture and the Government has taken various measures to secure & preserve it. The general use of all such lands is agriculture and if it has to be used for any other purpose other than agriculture, the property owner must obtain legal permission from the competent authority by following prescribed procedures.
Conversion is a legal process by which the property owner changes the use of the land from agriculture to non agriculture purpose. It is also called CHANGE OF LAND USE. The legal sanction/ conversion/ order/grant/permission is necessary to use the land for any other purpose otherwise, the Deputy Commissioner will initiate action and in sub-section (2-A) shall be liable to be demolished and brought back to their earlier use and expenses incurred thereon shall be collected from such persons/s as arrears of land revenue.
Change of land use or Conversion is not accorded or permitted to all the properties. Permission for the change of land use or diversion may be deferred or refused by the Deputy Commissioner under various conditions. The DC Conversion may also be withdrawn or canceled.
DC Conversion is a legal process and is mandatory Under Section 95 of Karnataka Land Revenue Act, by which the occupant or the property owner makes an application to the Deputy Commissioner of the District seeking his assent/permission/sanction for the change of land use from agriculture to non-agriculture(Residential/Public Use/Semi Public Use/Industrial/Commercial) use. The Jurisdictional revenue authority will consider the application on the basis of rules and regulation formulated for this purpose and accordingly an order may be issued. The Conversion fee/fine is levied and an official memorandum (OM) is issued to the applicant, directing the applicant to pay the same in the state treasury. Upon the confirmation of such payment, the Deputy Commissioner will issue Conversion Order. The Conversion order will have certain important conditions. The Occupant or the owner must comply with all the conditions laid down in the conversion order, lest, the order becomes invalid or inoperational without any further notice to the applicant or the owner.