Land Reforms in India

Changes brought about in the agrarian structure through direct intervention are characterised as Land Reforms. At the time of independence, there were three types of land tenure systems prevailing in the country- the zamindari system, the mahalwari, and the ryotwari system. 

In the zamindari system, the land revenues were collected from the farmers by the Zamindars;
In the mahalwari system by the village headman on behalf of the whole village;
While in the ryotwari system the land revenues were paid to the state directly by the farmers

Occupancy tenants, Tenants-at-will and Sub- tenants were used for the cultivation of agricultural land.

       Objectives of Land Reforms

To stop the exploitation under the zamindari, mahalwari and the ryotwari system the government defined the objectives of Land Reforms as follows:-

1. To remove such impediments to increase in agricultural production as arise from the agrarian structure inherited from the past; and

2. To eliminate all forms of exploitation and social injustice within the agrarian system, to provide security for the tiller of soil and assure equality of status and opportunity to all sections of the rural population.

Measures contemplated to achieve these objectives were as follows:-

1. Abolition of Intermediaries:- Under this step, the age old exploitative land tenure systems of the Zamindari, Mahalwari and the Ryotwari were fully abolished.

2. Tenancy Reforms:- Within this broader step, three inter - related reforms were affected:-

(A) Regulation of rent so that a fixed and rational rate of rent will be paid.

(B) Security of tenure so that a share - cropper feels secure about its future.

(C) Ownership rights to tenants so that the land can be given to the tiller.

3. Reorganization of Agriculture:- The step again has many inter related and highly logical provisions in the direction of rational agrarian reforms:-

(A) Ceilings on agricultural holdings:-
A ceiling on agricultural holdings means statutory absolute limit on the amount of land which an individual may hold. The imposition of a ceiling has two aspects- (i) ceiling on future acquisition, and (ii) ceilings on existing holdings.

Causes of Sub divisions and Fragmentation of Holdings:-
Law of Inheritance, Pressure of Population, Decline of Joint Family System, Farmers Indebtedness, Psychological Attachment to Land, The practice of Crop Sharing.

(B) Consolidation of land could only succeed in the regions of the Green Revolution because of different types of soils present in different regions, and other corrupt practices etc.

(C) Cooperative Farming:- This reform has been advocated to solve the problems created by subdivision of holdings. A number of recommendations were made in first three plans to encourage cooperative farming in India. Lands were transferred to the disadvantaged and women farmers but it was majorly used by the big farmers to save their lands from the ceiling laws.

                Reasons for Failure

As land is considered a symbol of social prestige, status and identity and the emotional attachment of the farmer. Also lack of political will and rampant corruption in democratic system could not make it a complete success.

However the National Land Records Modernisation Programme aims at updating and digitising land records.