Prime Land For Congress Office, None For Retired Soldiers? 338 Ex-Servicemen Wait In Karnataka's Davangere

Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 16:57 IST

Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, however, told CNN-News18 that the current pendency was due to inaction during the previous BJP government’s tenure

Questions are being raised over the Karnataka government’s land allotment priorities after documents accessed by CNN-News18 revealed that hundreds of retired army personnel and widows of soldiers in Davangere district have been waiting for government land for nearly three years.

According to official records accessed by CNN-News18, 338 retired army personnel and widows of soldiers in Davangere alone are awaiting allotment of government sites, despite land already being reserved for the purpose.

Under Karnataka government policy, retired armed forces personnel are eligible for free land allotment as a welfare measure in recognition of their service to the nation. However, sources in the Revenue Department say that not a single site has been allotted to beneficiaries in the district over the past three years, even though around 12 acres of land has already been earmarked for the scheme.

Officials say that the applications of the beneficiaries are currently under review by a district-level committee, which is responsible for scrutinising and approving allotments.

The issue has now sparked a political controversy, with the opposition BJP alleging double standards by the Congress government. The controversy also comes amid criticism that while political organisations are able to secure land quickly, welfare allotments for ex-servicemen are pending.

BJP MLA SR Vishwanath alleged that the government was delaying allotments meant for soldiers while expediting land allocations for political purposes.

“It is shameful that they are asking bribes even from soldiers. Within a month they allotted land to Congress Bhavan, but for soldiers who fought for the country, they are delaying. The land is there, and the beneficiary list is ready. They just have to allot," Vishwanath told CNN-News18.

The BJP has also accused the Congress of hypocrisy, claiming the party has expressed concern over the killing of Iranian naval officers by the United States while allegedly neglecting the welfare of retired Indian soldiers in the state.

Responding to the allegations, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told CNN-News18 that the current pendency was due to inaction during the previous BJP government’s tenure. “The BJP did not allot a single site to retired army personnel during their tenure, which is why there is such a backlog," the minister said.

He added that the government has digitised the land allotment process to improve transparency and efficiency. “We have digitised the process and we will clear the pending cases by the end of this year," Gowda said.

For hundreds of ex-servicemen and widows in Davangere, however, the wait continues as their applications remain under scrutiny, even as the debate over priorities in land allotment intensifies.

News india Prime Land For Congress Office, None For Retired Soldiers? 338 Ex-Servicemen Wait In Karnataka's Davangere

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