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The Kerala government has identified 584 individuals and organisations that have defaulted on payments or violated conditions of government-leased land, collectively owing INR 665.30 crore. Revenue Minister K. Rajan presented district-wise details, revealing Ernakulam owed the most at INR 280 crore, followed by Thrissur with INR 201.34 crore and Thiruvananthapuram with INR 104.70 crore. Despite the huge arrears, only 2.737 hectares have been recovered so far. The state lacks a unified record of unauthorised land occupation, relying instead on district data. Officials have issued recovery notices and begun cancelling leases, exposing gaps in Kerala's land management and monitoring systems.
The Kerala state government recently revealed that 584 individuals and organisations have defaulted on payments or violated terms related to government-leased land, collectively owing INR 665.30 crore. Revenue Minister K. Rajan presented these details in the assembly, outlining the district-wise scale of arrears across the state. Advertisement
Thiruvananthapuram recorded 157 defaulters with outstanding dues of INR 104.70 crore, while Ernakulam's 60 defaulters accounted for the highest amount, totalling INR 280 crore. In Thrissur, 15 violators owe INR 201.34 crore, and in Kollam, 16 cases relate to INR 33 crore. Kottayam has six defaulters with arrears of INR 14.46 crore, whereas Alappuzha has 52 cases amounting to INR 2.75 crore.
Some districts displayed numerous violations with relatively smaller arrears-such as Idukki, which reported 256 defaulters but dues of only INR 5.55 lakh-reflecting smaller land parcels or agricultural leases. Despite these significant arrears, only 2.737 hectares of land have been recovered so far.
The minister admitted that there is no consolidated record of the total government land under unauthorised occupation, as the administration currently depends on district-level data. Notices have been served to defaulters, and recoveries are being undertaken under the Revenue Recovery Act, 1968. In cases of lease violations, the government has started cancelling leases and invoking provisions under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act.
These disclosures highlight deficiencies in Kerala's land management framework, raising concerns about the slow pace of reclamation and the absence of comprehensive oversight in managing valuable state-owned land.
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