The Catholic Church of India holds the title of the second-largest landowner in India after the government. Recent revelations based on data from the Government Land Information website stress that the Catholic Church is the owner of staggering 7 crore hectares (17.29 crore acres) of land across the country.
As of February 2021, the Indian government owned approximately 15,531 square kilometers of land, with various ministries as well as public sector companies utilising pieces of it. The vast land portfolio owned by the Catholic Church, on the other hand, encompasses diverse properties including churches, educational institutes and more.
The combined value of these land holdings stands at whopping Rs 20,000 crores.
Moreover, the land acquisition by the Catholic Church traces back to the pre-independence era when it received significant land grants from the British government under the Indian Church Act, 1927. However, the acquisition of the land by the Catholic Church has not been untouched by controversies, with accusations of 'forceful acquisition' coming to light every now and then.
Under the leadership of Pope Francis (head of the Catholic Church), the Catholic Church governs its extensive land assets through the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). The lands, spread across the country, serve as sites for numerous educational and healthcare institutions.
According to several media reports, the church has played a significant role in shaping the nation's educational landscape, with thousands of schools and colleges falling under its administration.
A survey has revealed that there were reported to be 2457 hospital dispensaries, 240 medical or nursing colleges, 28 general colleges, 5 engineering colleges, 3765 secondary schools, 7319 primary schools, and 3187 nursery schools across India affiliated with the Catholic Church, as of 2012 alone.
