Kerala Govt clueless about consequences of amending Land Assignment Rules

The Kerala government that has reverted the Land Assignment Rules for granting title deeds for up to four acres and removes restrictions on land transfers is uncertain over the ramifications it could bring in the future. The government has no perception if the amendments could abet encroachments, encourage land mafia and resort mafia and raise unauthorised quarries/constructions.

When reversing the Land Assignment rules, the government's priority was only providing title deeds to those who had settled in Idukki district prior to January 1, 1977. Though amendment is being bought in the ''interest of the farmers in Idukki,'' the government is alleged to have not taken note of the wide spread ramifications it could have in the future. 

Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash during a press conference last week had stated that the amendment was a first step and all the issues that could come up will be looked into. On the allegations that the amendment could only help the land and resort mafia, he said '' this is a first step. The amendments have been made for only occupied lands. The government will look into the allegations, if any, in the future,'' he said, which is clear indication that the government has brought out the amendment in haste.

The government has also not clarified on the steps that would be taken if the status of the land that is given for agriculture purpose is changed. The environmentalists doubt that once the title deeds are got, the land will be used for other purposes such as constructing resorts, quarry activities and other purposes.

The government in its order (24-12-2013) has done away with the amendments brought to the rules 5(A) and 8(1) of the Kerala Land Assignment Rules 1964 in 2005 and 2009, which had limited land holdings to one acre and the time stipulation of minimum 25 years for sale of land.


Source; the New Indian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/205503/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/30-12-2013#page/4/1

The State government's decision to amend Land Assignment Rules for granting of title deeds for up to four acres and remove restrictions on transfer of the assigned land has raised 
apprehension among environmentalists, stating that it will have serious ramifications and abet 
land encroachment.
Though the government says that the amendment is being bought in the ''interest of the 
farmers  in Idukki,'' it is alleged to help land and resort mafia. It is alleged that once the 
amendment is brought in, it would only help in legalising the illegal land transactions.  The new 
amendment could have a larger impact on the recent Kasturirangan and Gadgil reports, the 
environmentalists allege.The cabinet has proposed to do away with the amendments brought 
to the rules 5(A) and 8(1) of the Kerala Land Assignment Rules 1964 in 2005 and 2009. The 
amendments annulled are the one pertaining to possession of land, which was limited to one 
acre and the time stipulation of minimum 25 years for sale of land. With these annulments, 
title-deeds can now be given for land holdings up to 4 acres and sale of land made possible 
before reaching 25 years of possession, if the seller has an occupied house in that land.
Official sources said that the change of rules could only lead to unauthorised constructions, 
unauthorised quarries, large-scale felling of trees and illegal road construction. The 
government's reversal can only aid all the forces that causes destruction, they alleged. It is 
learned that some of the high ranking officials in the revenue department was against the 
scrapping of the rules.


Source: The New Indian Express
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/203067/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/25-12-2013#page/1/1