Cabinet nod for new land acquisition rules

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala cabinet today approved rules framed by the state government to acquire land based on the Centre's Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act-2013.

Under the new set of rules, prior sanction will be sought from land owners and more compensation and rehabilitation ensured to those who lose their lands.

"The cabinet has decided to give approval for the new land acquisition policy of the state," Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters after the cabinet meeting here.

The CM said rehabilitation committees would be formed under District Collectors, which would take steps to acquire land. A state-level empowered committee would also be formed, which will be headed by the Chief Secretary, he said.

On other decisions, he said government has given approval to the 'Subodham project' envisaged to hold state-wide awareness programmes to achieve the aim of drug-free Kerala and to highlight the dangers of alcohol consumption.

The amount required to implement the project would come from the five per cent cess on tax for liquor sold through Kerala State Beverages Corporation, the sole wholesale and retail supplier of foreign made liquor in the state.

The Cabinet accorded sanction to the draft State policy 2015 for the differently-abled.

The draft policy lays stress for including differently abled in the action-plans and projects of all departments, Chandy said.