Extend land reforms to plantation sector: Prabhat Patnaik

Renowned economist Prabhat Patnaik on Monday suggested that an extension of land reforms to the plantation sector can be part of the strategy for taking forward the Kerala model of development into the future.

Prof. Patnaik, who is Professor Emeritus at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, was addressing the seminar ‘Financing Development for the People’ organised by the State Planning Board as part of the three-day ‘Vision 2031: An International Conference on Development and Democracy.’

Vast tracts of land given by past kings to plantation owners on long tenancy are lying unutilised in Kerala. It has now become important for the State to carry forward the land reforms that the government had instituted, into the plantation sector, he said. Prof. Patnaik, who is a former vice-chairperson of the State Planning Board, further suggested extending the scope and breadth of education so that people are equipped to defeat “the fascism and neofascism which currently constitutes the biggest danger to the country.”

Prof. Patnaik underlined the need to promote the alternative Kerala model of development before the country. The fight between two diametrically opposite development paradigms — the social welfare-oriented model followed by Kerala and the growth-centric one reflected in the Central government’s policy — is likely to intensify in the coming days, he said.

“You are now going to have a situation where the Centre, with the centralisation of resources, would try to squeeze out the alternative model that Kerala, for instance, represents,” he said.

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, listing the challenges before Kerala as it looks towards 2031, said the State would need to look at generating more revenue and employment opportunities and addressing the problems posed by an ageing population.

The speakers included former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac; C.P. Chandrasekhar, senior research fellow at the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts; Centre for Development Studies director C. Veeramani; National Institute of Public Finance and Policy director R. Kavitha Rao; Kerala State Statistical Commission chairman P.C. Mohanan; and Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation director K.J. Joseph. Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) K.R. Jyothilal moderated the session.