Representational image (Freepik)
Land has always been a symbol of power and wealth. Throughout history, many conflicts have been fought over land. Today as well it plays a major role in agriculture, housing, education, and industry. In India, land ownership carries great significance.
In India, the government is the largest landowner. According to the Government Land Information System (GLIS), as of February 2021, the central government owned around 15,531 square kilometres of land. This land is spread across 116 public sector undertakings and 51 central ministries. Interestingly, this area is larger than the total size of several countries, including Qatar, Jamaica, Lebanon, and Singapore.
Among government departments, the Ministry of Railways holds the maximum land at 2,926.6 sq. km. The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Coal follow closely with about 2,580.92 sq. km each. Other major holders include the Ministry of Power (1,806.69 sq. km), Heavy Industries (1,209.49 sq. km), and Shipping (1,146 sq. km).
According to News18, the second-largest landowner in India, after the government, is the Catholic Church. Estimates suggest the Church owns nearly 7 crore hectares (17.29 crore acres) of land, worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore. These properties include churches, schools, colleges, hospitals, and other institutions. Much of this land was acquired during British rule under the Indian Church Act of 1927. However, many disputes remain about the legitimacy of these acquisitions, with claims that some properties were forcefully occupied.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) manages Church land and institutions. By 2012, the Church ran thousands of hospitals, schools, and colleges across the country, making it one of India’s largest private service providers in education and healthcare.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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