Reform plans in plantation sector likely to spark controversy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The diversification of the plantation sector mentioned in the state budget may lead to political controversy again.

Minister KN Balagopal announced in the budget that the plan would be prepared within six months in consultation with various departments. This will require an amendment to the Land Reforms Act. It can also be questioned in court. In 2015, the UDF government introduced an amendment that allowed five percent of other cultivation on plantation land. The LDF leaders at the time said that this was questioning the essence of the land reform act that the Left was proudly highlighting.

When the government declared more than 15 acres of agricultural land as surplus land under the Land Reforms Act, only the excess plantation land was exempted. That too for a few items like rubber, tea, coffee and cardamom. The surplus land law will be included in the conversion of concessional plantation land under Section 87 of the Land Reforms Act or cultivation of non-concessionary varieties. Even the cutting of plots from the plantation land has been questioned in court.

Third generation landless

Fifty to one hundred acres of uncultivated agricultural land was acquired from the owners within the limits of surplus land in land reform. Fifty years later, many of their third generation will be landless or small time farmers. After acquiring land from non-rubber, coffee, cardamom and tea cultivators, it will also create legal issues for those on non-acquired land to be allowed to do unlisted cultivation.