Kerala   

Call to check speculative land trading

KASARAGOD: Regulating the end use of land will be the key-word in the future development strategy of Kerala, as the State needs to increase agricultural production in the face of an impending shortage of foodgrains, Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board Prabhat Patnaik has said.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Tuesday, Prof. Patnaik said that diversion of land meant for agricultural for other purposes was not feasible in the context of the State. The speculative trading of land and related activities should be prevented. Some social regulation was needed on the use of land, opined Prof. Patnaik.

Regarding price rise, he said that foodgrain prices all over the world were showing a trend of rising; it had its impact in the State also. Moreover, the Centre had cut down the foodgrain quota for the State. The centre had grossly understated the number of poor in the State in its statistics, observed Prof. Patnaik. He called for some type of indirect subsidy to peasant farmers to encourage agricultural activities.

Commenting on the increasing hostility in the country against special economic zones, Prof. Patnaik noted that while SEZs took away large tracts of land displacing the labourers, it did not create the much-needed number of employment.

The need of the hour was creating more employment opportunities without displacing the labourers, noted Prof. Patnaik.

The future of the State lay in the development of industries in the fields of information technology, bio-technology, tourism, and traditional industries.

Commenting on the chinks that have appeared in the Kerala model development which earned a name for itself through gains in the health and education sectors, Prof. Patnaik said there had been a sharp curtailment in Plan outlay during the previous UDF government’s tenure. There had been an unwarranted fiscal conservatism. “We wanted to do away with that,” said Prof. Patnaik. “Enough outlay would be devoted to the projects in health sector and we are trying to raise resources for that,” he added.

The health insurance scheme being introduced by the LDF government and the reforms in the education sector were a part of that, according to him.

Prof. Patnaik noted that there had been a substantial increase in the amount earmarked by the LDF government for the traditional industries and agricultural sector.

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