Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer with the significance of the Land ceiling.
• Discuss the objectives of Land reforms and measures taken by the government to introduce land reforms.
• Discuss the effectiveness of land reforms.
• Conclude the answer by mentioning the achievements of land reforms.

Introduction

Land holding, introduced on the recommendation of the Kumarappa committee, has transformed India immensely in various social, political and economic dimensions.

Body

Objectives of land reform

• Restore Rights of Cultivators: Through introduction of these reforms, rights of the small farmers who were traditionally owners of their lands was restored.
• Records: Updation of records to reduce disputes among citizens has been achieved.
• Empowerment: It has led to empowerment of marginalised communities as they often have low land holding that contribute to reduced socioeconomic status.
• Social Equality: Equitable distribution of resources leads to reduced social marginalisation.

Measures taken

• Land Ceilings: Government put up a cap on the amount of land that could be kept by a person or family.
• Abolition of Zamindari: This was achieved through passing of various legislations by states, e.g., the Zamindari Abolition Act, 1950 (Uttar Pradesh).
• Cooperative Farming: Farmers were encouraged to pool resources and do farming as a community.

The land ceiling policy imposes limits on the maximum extent of land an individual or family can own. By limiting land ownership, land ceiling policies aim to reduce the concentration of land in the hands of a few wealthy landowners.

Land ceiling as an effective reform

• Increased equitable land distribution contributes to a wider base of population that can contribute immensely to economic growth of the country.
• With a wider population experiencing economic growth, people are bound to get better health, and prefer better education for their offspring. This elevates standard of living.
• Wider tax base is provided with increased number of farmers earning from their lands, which leads to better tax collection.

Conclusion

Land reforms in India have not just helped in providing resources to the landless, but also in addressing historical injustices and imagining a more inclusive future.