Kerala paddy fields drop 80% as Revenue Department earns ₹1,606 crore from regularisation
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Cropping patterns & irrigation· Prelims + Mains·
Land use conversion vs ecological preservation: a GS3 case study on regulatory arbitrage and administrative oversight.
Why in news
The Department of Revenue earned ₹1,606 crore from regularising paddy land conversions despite the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008.
Background
Kerala's paddy fields declined from 8.82 lakh ha in 1974-75 to 1.76 lakh ha in 2024-25. The LSGD and CAG identified administrative failures and legal loopholes in the land conversion process.
Facts for Prelims
- FactKerala paddy fields declined by 80% between 1974-75 and 2024-25
- Act / BillKerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act (KCPWA) was enacted in 2008
- FactDepartment of Revenue earned ₹1,606 crore from land regularisation by 2024
- BodyLSGD and CAG identified administrative failures in land conversion
Prelims practice question
Which act was enacted in 2008 to protect the wetlands and paddy fields in Kerala?
- (a)Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act
- (b)Kerala Agriculture Promotion Act
- (c)Kerala Wetland Protection Policy
- (d)Kerala Land Reform Act
Show answer
Answer: (a) Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act — The Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act was enacted in 2008.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the conflict between revenue generation and ecological preservation in the context of land use regularisation in Kerala.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Regulatory arbitrage: Legal loopholes allowing conversion of protected wetlands into revenue-generating land
- Institutional oversight: Administrative failures in monitoring land use changes despite existing conservation acts
Keywords: Regulatory arbitrage · Land use conversion · Revenue vs Conservation · Administrative oversight · Ecological degradation
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