Kannur (in Kerala) declared as the first Zero-Landless district of India

November 3, 2013

Under the Zero Landless (Citizens) Kerala Project, Kannur (Kerala) has been declared as the the first zero-landless district in India.

What is Zero Landless (Citizens) Kerala Project?

It is a project which seeks to provide 3 cents of land each to 2.44 lakh landless in the State of Kerala by 2015. On October 1, 2013 Ms Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the first phase of the distribution of title deeds to the landless under this Project. About 1 lakh titles are being distributed in the first phase.

What are the potential problems associated with the Zero Landless (Citizens) Kerala Project?

It was not easy to find land in Kerala or in any other State.
The number of landless people is very large, the amount of land is limited, and the price of land is very high.
A the political will from the state is needed.
Under its Zero Landless (Citizens) Kerala Project, the Kerala government will have to find the land required for assignment among 2.5 lakh landless families in the State over the next 2 years.

Why the need for Zero Landless (Citizens) Kerala Project?

“Landlessness” has been a critical problem specially in a land short state of India like Kerala. About One-third of the city dweller live in inadequate living space in Kerala. The rural poor face housing issues owing to the massive urbanization even in panchayath areas. Lending secure titles in the form of “pattayam” is a formal recognition which will assist the poor and the under-privileged a better access to legal and financial services in order to raise capital and to invest in areas of productive and sustainable nature.

We all know that there are circumstances where people who are not eligible for getting assignment of Government land get the land assigned in their favor and there are situations where the eligible people are being deprived the chance. This discrimination has been mainly due to the non-identification of the landlessness scientifically.

As the land is limited and it is obligatory on the part of the Government to have a correct assessment of the demand and supply of land. Thus, the Kerala Government has come up with a Mission Mode Project [MMP] towards making Kerala a Zero Landless [Citizens] State by 2015.

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