Farmers’ associations see scope for government intervention in inam land issue

In deference to prolonged protests by farmers’ associations in Tiruppur and elsewhere in the State, the Commissioner of Land Administration has recommended amendment to the inam land similar to the ones carried out in the Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and a few other States.

In a communication made to the Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the CLA is understood to have recommended amendment to bring about repeal of the ‘zero valuation’ of inam land by the Registration Department.

Earlier this year, farmers’ associations carried out sustained protests at Avinashipalayam in Tiruppur district claiming rights to the inam land they had been cultivating for generations.

According to the farmers’ associations, 30 lakh families dependent on 13 lakh acres of farm land, across Tamil Nadu, have been denied rights to the inam land by the HR and CE Department and Wakf Board.

In deference to the representations by the farmers’ associations, the Tiruppur district administration and Minister M.P. Saminathan sought the State government’s intervention to help out the farmers affected by zero valuation fixation for the inam land by the Registration Department, and to grant them pattas as in the other States.

The HR and CE Department and Wakf Board had categorised the farmers utilising inam land as encroachers. The farmers have been seeking effective implementation of the Tamil Nadu Inam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963, that provides for the acquisition of rights of land holders in inam estates, and introduction of the ryotwari settlement in such estates. Likewise, the farmers have also emphasised on effective implementation of the Tamil Nadu Minor Inam (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963, that provides for the acquisition of the rights of inamdars in minor inams in the State, and the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in such inams.

Pollachi MLA V. Jayaraman had raised the issue in the Assembly, and a representation was made to the government on behalf of the affected farmers also by the State secretary of CPI R. Mutharasan.

Espousing the cause of the farmers, they said the inam land holders, in the absence of pattas, were unable to avail themselves of the utility of government welfare schemes.