Date:30/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/30/stories/2007113050280100.htm

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Working group on land reforms

Special Correspondent

To study steps to strengthen reforms

Planning Board to set up 3 other working groups
Meeting reviews progress of Plan implementation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Planning Board on Thursday decided to constitute a working group to study measures to strengthen land reforms in the State.

The decision was taken at a full-board meeting chaired by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Land Reforms Act was yet to be implemented in its full spirit in the State decades after it was enacted with certain noble intentions. Thousands of families still had no land of their own to cultivate, or even pitch a hut. The operations of the land mafia have made it all the more difficult for the poor to own land.

No repeal of Act: VS

Answering a question, he said: “You cannot get my government to take suggestions for the repeal of the Land Reforms Act seriously”.

Such suggestions have altogether different intentions, the Chief Minister added.

“The landless should have land. Production should increase. The problem of land availability should not stand in the way of equitable social and economic development,” the Chief Minister said.

The board meeting reviewed the progress of Plan implementation so far during the current financial year.

The board also decided to set up three other working groups: the first to evaluate the problems hindering the implementation of externally aided projects in the State, the second to study the issues confronting the poor among the minorities and the third to suggest ways to tone up the execution of welfare programmes for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

The meeting further decided to set up a mechanism in the Planning Board to help local self-government institutions with technical input to prepare development projects.