THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Land Assignment Rules, 1964, have been amended to provide hilly tracts in the name of persons who had illegally occupied them before June 1, 2005.
The original rules had allowed the regularisation of illegal occupation only up to 1971. The amendment, which seeks to exonerate encroachments of 34 years from 1971 to 2005, was issued as a notification on June 1. A maximum of four acres can be assigned in the name of one person.
“Any person in occupation of government lands under lease in hilly tracts, whether current or time expired or by way of encroachments not considered objectionable, such land, if such occupation completes 10 years on June 1, 2015, shall be assigned to him on registry,” the notification states.
Further, the notification has increased the annual income limit for applying for the registry or ‘pokkuvaravu’ from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Here is the official version: “The state government has received numerous applications for the assignment of lands in the hilly tracts from those who have developed the land and cultivated it and are residing there. Government desires to extend the benefit of assignment to such occupants by fixing the period of occupation and enhancing the income limit from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.”
The new title deed holders will also have another benefit; they can sell the land assigned in their name at the time of their choosing.
An earlier order, issued on December 2013, had waived the stipulation that the land assigned should not be sold or alienated for 25 years.
