The voluntary resettlement scheme aimed at the rehabilitation of landholders on the forest fringes as part of the Rebuild Kerala Initiative is yet to make the expected progress in Kozhikode district, thanks to non-cooperation by a section of upland farmers and their organisations.
The delay in allotment of funds for farmers whose land documents have already been verified has also affected the number of new takers for the scheme.
Some prominent farmers’ organisations, which are now in the forefront of agitations on agricultural issues, claim that the scheme does not meet their actual requirements or demands but widen the forest area to human habitat. Organisations opposed to the scheme say that the actual requirement of landowners in upland areas is effective measures to counter wild animal menace and ensure protection of life and property rather than an evacuation.
“We strongly suspect that a majority of those who have opted for the scheme are large-scale landholders who just want to dispose of their property and invest in other businesses. Permanent residents are also very less as many applicants are now staying outside the affected areas,” says a district functionary of We Farm, a settler farmers’ organisation in Kozhikode district. He points out that the conditions of the resettlement scheme of the government are hardly attractive to genuine farmers who want to continue in their own land with agricultural activities.
Though the resettlement scheme has been available for interested farmers since 2019, many are suspicious of its efficacy and the allotment of sanctioned funds in time. As they suspected, the delay in disbursement of funds even after the verification of their title deeds still continues to be a concern. There is also no campaign by the Forest department to clarify farmers’ doubts or enrol more persons for the project.
As the scheme offers ₹15 lakh for two hectares with clear title deeds, the number of enquiries was very high in Kozhikode district at the initial stage. A compensation of ₹15 lakh for each adult member of a family made the scheme attractive for many who wished to relocate to a safer location. Many differently abled citizens also expected protective benefits as it promised separate compensation for them.
According to officials, the owners of around 500 hectares at Chempanoda are likely to get the benefits of the scheme in the first phase in the existing situation. The decision of a State-level empowered committee will be crucial to ratify the final list of beneficiaries from each district and the distribution of funds. So far, it has cleared 75 applications here for further proceedings. There were altogether 175 applications in the first phase in which the ineligible ones or those entangled in ownership disputes were excluded, they said.
