Akshay AgrawalAIR 43 · CSE 2018 · 226 wordsTheir whole copy
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→ At independence, there were serious distortions in man-land relationships in India. Therefore, land reforms were at the top of the list on government's reform agenda.
Various types of Land Reforms:
In three phases → 1951-1971 ↘ 1971-1990 ↘ 1991 onwards.
• 1951-1971: Four types/objectives:
- Abolition of Zamindars/intermediaries.
- Reform in land tenancy.
- Land ceilings - redistribution from excess to deprived people [based on individuals].
- Consolidation of disparate landholdings- to improve efficiency & productivity.
• 1971-1990: Second wave:
- Lowering of ceiling limits
- Ceiling to be applicable to family, not individuals.
1991 onwards: to cater to the needs of both agriculture and industry - Govt eased land acquisition, enabled land leasing, digitisation of land records, ensured proper compensation and rehabilitation of the displaced.
Effects:
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On Poverty reduction & food security.
| land ceilings | → marginal, only 4% land redistributed |
| abolition of Zamindars | → poverty reduced by around 8% points in 1950s itself. |
| Land Consolidation | → productivity rose → food security but poverty did not reduce. |
| tenancy reform | → only 2% land redistributed, no effect on poverty, food security marginal effect. |
Overall, land reforms could not meet desired objectives. It had to be supplemented by Green Revolution to ensure food security & poverty reduction.
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