Kerala relaxes land rules for issuing title deeds

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a relief to settlers in highland areas, the Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala has decided to waive restrictions on transaction of farmland held by them as part of the condition for issuing title deeds.

A meeting of the state cabinet today decided to take away the restrictive provision in this regard by amending the rules under the Kerala Land Assignment Act.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Information Minister K C Joseph said the ceiling set on such land held by each title holder would also be increased to 4 acres from the present one acre.

Scores of settler farmers holding lands in upland areas like Idukki and Wayanad and other high range areas prior to January 1, 1977, which was earlier set as the cut-off date for assigning title deeds, would benefit from the decision. The first phase of issuing title deeds would begin at Idukki later this month, the minister said.

Significantly, the settler farmers in the highland areas had been on warpath in recent times against the Centre's move to implement the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats conservation, which imposed severe restrictions on land use in the ecologically sensitive areas.

The decision was shelved last week, apparently under pressure from states like Kerala.