Kerala Constitutes Five-Member Expert Panel to Overhaul Land Reforms
Kerala has appointed a five-member expert committee headed by A.T. James to recommend comprehensive reforms to outdated land laws, addressing long-standing farmer demands.
The Kerala government has issued an order constituting a five-member expert committee to recommend comprehensive changes to the state's land reforms framework. The move follows a long-standing demand from the farming community and an announcement made in the State Budget.
The committee will be chaired by A.T. James, a former Land Revenue Commissioner. It has been mandated to conduct a detailed re-examination of existing land laws so that outdated and complex provisions can be revised in keeping with the times.
According to the terms of reference, the panel will look at ending the eviction of farmers from farmland on technical or flimsy grounds. It will also examine ways to ensure full and unconditional ownership of land that farmers have cultivated for years.
Other areas under the committee's purview include granting farmers permission for crop diversification while safeguarding the natural environment of plantations, and finding permanent solutions to problems related to title deeds faced by farmers who have possessed land parcels for decades.
The proposed reforms are expected to provide greater security to the farming community and help rejuvenate the agriculture sector. Amendments will be implemented on the basis of a study report to be submitted by the committee, a statement said.