Land is one of the most inestimable resources as far as state of Kerala is concerned. The state with its dense population, is finding it hard to satisfy the land needs of even the most deserving categories and development initiatives. Kerala pioneered land reforms and enacted the Land Reforms Act and implemented the reforms effectively. Land Reforms Act accompanied by other legal instruments like Kerala land Conservancy Act, 1957; The Kerala Escheats and Forfeitures Act, 1964; The Kerala Revenue Recovery Act, 1968; The Kerala Land Assignment Rules, 1964 etc., gave the Government ample support to conserve, improve and manage the lands vested with it.

Despite these, encroachments in Government lands have been rampant especially in the 1990’s. To take inventory of Government land and to curtail illegal encroachments on Government lands the Government of Kerala initiated a project called KERALA STATE LAND BANK for the scientific inventorisation and professional management of Government lands. This would assist the Government in the rational use of Government owned lands with a perspective on the future developments of the State. Through this Government will be implementing measures for the overall control of encroachments and rational use of Government lands for meeting the developmental as well as social obligations of the State in future.  

The Department of Revenue will act as the custodian of KERALA STATE LAND BANK on behalf of themselves and sister departments like PWD, LSGD, Department of irrigation etc. as well.