Permission is granted to lease out the land in Ernakulam district in possession of St. Alberts College and to authorize the District Collector, Ernakulam, to take necessary action. ...

Official Language - Mother Tongue. Government of Kerala. Summary: Revenue Department - Permission granted to the District Collector, Ernakulam, to assign land in the possession of St. Albert's College, Ernakulam. Revenue (A) Department. G.O.(Ms) No.159/2026/RD dated Thiruvananthapuram, 15-03-2026. References: 1. G.O.(Ms) No. 582/95/Rev dated 24-11-1995. 2. G.O.(Ms) No. 325/11/Rev dated 05-09-2011. 3. G.O.(Ms) No. 673/15/Rev dated 16.12.15. 4. G.O.(Ms) No. 76/16/Rev dated 01.02.2016. 5. G.O.(Ms) No. 126/2016/Rev dated 18.02.2016. 6. Letter No. DCEKM/7224/2023/L1 dated 03.03.2026 from the District Collector, Ernakulam. Order: In Ernakulam district, Kanayannur taluk, Elamkulam village, 1.8392 hectares of land in survey numbers 97/6, 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 99/4, 100/3, 106/3 was leased to St. Albert's College for 50 years at a rate of 50 rupees as per reference (1). Subsequently, it was ordered as per reference (2) that 25% of the lease arrears of Rs. 1,81,57,446/- from 1995 to 2004 should be paid by St. Albert's College and that lease rent as per recommendations for educational institutions from 2004 should be collected. As per reference (3), an order was issued assigning 88 cents of land to St. Albert's College, comprising 74 cents from the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and 14 cents of government land (cleared from Royal Gardens), in exchange for 88 cents of land in the possession of St. Albert's College that was given to Kochi Metro. Subsequently, as per reference (4), an order was issued to write off the lease arrears of St. Albert's College and assign the said 88 cents of land. 2) Subsequently, as per reference (5), an order was issued granting title (pattayam) for 3.80 acres of land in the possession of St. Albert's College. The Cabinet Sub-Committee formed to review the Cabinet decisions from 01.01.2016 to 30.04.2016 reviewed the above government order and opined as follows: "The assignment of land as per the government order, after the unauthorized transfer of land in mutual understanding with GCDA, cannot be justified. Moreover, the leased land allowed to St. Albert's was sub-leased as Royal Gardens and was not vacated. The aforementioned mutual transfers are against lease rules. Lease arrears of Rs. 1,81,57,446/- were calculated for the period 1995-2004. It was decided to collect 25% of that, which is Rs. 45,39,366/-, from St. Albert's College. However, the college authorities have not paid this amount. Lease rent has not been calculated since 2004. The District Collector reported that GCDA suffered a loss of land due to the exchange with St. Albert's, even though 53.92 Ares (133.23 cents) of land was acquired for Kochi Metro. However, granting freehold land instead of lease land as per the Cabinet decision is improper and legally incorrect. Writing off lease rent causing heavy financial loss to the government lacks legal backing. The lease can be renewed. The decision needs to be reviewed." The Cabinet meeting on 14.3.2017 approved this recommendation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee as Item 715. 3) The District Collector has reported that Metro Rail representatives informed that 88 cents of land was given for the Kochi Metro Rail project, but detailed examination revealed that only 19.42 Ares (48.55 cents) was acquired for the project, and the remaining 39.45 cents was land that St. Albert's College had transferred to GCDA without government permission and taken their land in exchange, which is against lease conditions. 4) The matter regarding the land in possession of St. Albert's College was discussed on 05/03/2026 under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Revenue, in the presence of the Hon'ble Minister for Industries and the Hon'ble Minister for Higher Education, and it was decided to submit the following decisions for the consideration of the Cabinet: (i) Regarding granting exemption for lease arrears of the land in possession of St. Albert's College as a special case. (ii) Regarding leasing the land in possession of St. Albert's College. (iii) Regarding assigning the land as it has been in possession since the princely state era. 5) Based on the detailed examination of this matter by the government, permission is hereby granted to the District Collector, Ernakulam, to legally assign the 88 cents of land in the possession of St. Albert's College in Ernakulam district. (By order of the Governor) M. G. Rajamanickam, Secretary.