Pinarayi Vijayan linked to controversial KIIFB land acquisitions

Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reportedly pushed for urgent land acquisitions in Kannur through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to support industrial development. This information has surfaced following an expert committee report led by former Finance Secretary Sudha Pillai, which flagged serious irregularities in land acquisitions conducted during the previous LDF government.

The committee raised concerns that land was purchased at prices reportedly as high as five times the market value. Specifically, the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) set prices at Rs 2.5 crore per acre in Kannur and Rs 1 crore per acre in Palakkad.

Despite the high costs and stated urgency, no industrial work has commenced on the Kannur site. The delay has caused significant distress for hundreds of small landowners in two villages, where over 700 acres were notified for acquisition approximately eight years ago. Affected residents report they have not received compensation and are unable to mortgage their land, cultivate it, or even secure new drinking water connections due to the pending acquisition status.