The government proposes to distribute 50,000 title deeds to the poor in the coming two months, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said here on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, the Minister said that Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan would inaugurate the pattaya mela (distribution of deeds) at Vizhinjam near here on November 24. Melas would be held in all the remaining districts in the coming weeks.
Mr. Rajendran said that the procedures had been completed for issue of titles to 2000 persons living on the coastal areas of Adimalathura and Thennoorkonam in Thiruvananthapuram district. They were in possession of the land for decades.
He said that the State Land Board had identified 2100 acres of excess land (defined under Land Reforms Act). Of that, 1500 acres were ready for distribution.
He said that the government had resolved the questions over issue of title deeds to the settlers in the hilly areas of five districts.
These titles would also be distributed during the melas. The first phase of distribution of titles to tribals under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act would also be done during the melas in six to seven districts. The remaining titles would be distributed early next year.
The Minister said that the government planned distribution of one lakh more titles next year by speeding up decisions on excess lands and verification of land in possession of farmers.
