The Hindu Business Line : Kerala's Agricultural Debt Relief panel to be expanded

Thiruvananthapuram May 28 The Agricultural Debt Relief Commission, constituted by the Kerala Government, will be expanded by inducting two more members.

This is aimed at increasing the representation of farmers in the commission so as to make its functioning more effective, according to the Revenue Minister, Mr K.P. Rajendran.

He said here on Monday that the commission's powers were not limited to writing off just agricultural loans, but any loans taken by farmers. Apart from loan write-off, it enjoyed comprehensive powers such as announcing of moratorium, giving relief in interest rates and declaring areas as hit by calamities.

He disclosed that 50,000 landless people would be given land by the end of September this year and `pattaya (title deed) melas' would be held for the purpose in all the 140 constituencies in the State. The Government had given title deeds to 35,432 persons since assuming office a year ago.

It had been estimated that 22,482 adivasi families in the State were landless, while 32,131 families owned less than one acre of land each.

During the last 10 years, 6,781 acres was made available to 4,652 families.

But, nearly 25,000 acres of forest land was required to ensure distribution of one acre of land each to all the adivasi families in the State. The Centre had agreed to forgo Rs 577 crore on this account, but the Supreme Court was yet to give its approval.

Of the 1.31 lakh acres that was found as excess under the Land Reforms Act, only 99,261 acres had been taken over by the Government so far, with the balance having been caught in various types of disputes.

Of the acquired land, 71,966 acres was distributed.

Mr Rajendran said that the Land Disaster Management Institute would be upgraded to international standards and disaster combat teams would be fully equipped and kept ready in all the districts.

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