Go Back To Class 11th Economics Page
Question 6. Explain the need and type of land reforms implemented in the agriculture sector.
Answer
Need for Land Reforms
At the time of independence, Indian agriculture was marked by inequitable land distribution, low productivity and exploitation of cultivators. The land tenure system was dominated by intermediaries such as zamindars who collected rent but did not invest in improving agriculture. The actual tillers had no ownership rights, which reduced their incentive to increase production. Therefore, land reforms were needed to:
-
Ensure equity and social justice in rural areas
-
Increase agricultural productivity by giving land ownership to cultivators
-
Remove intermediaries who exploited peasants
-
Reduce concentration of landholding in a few hands
-
Promote the principle of “land to the tiller”
Types of Land Reforms Implemented
-
Abolition of Intermediaries
-
Zamindari, jagirdari and related systems were abolished.
-
Ownership rights were transferred to actual tillers of the soil.
-
This ended exploitation and encouraged farmers to invest in land improvement.
-
-
Tenancy Reforms
-
Tenants were given security of tenure and fair rent.
-
In some cases, tenants were allowed to purchase land from landlords.
-
-
Land Ceiling Laws
-
A maximum limit was fixed on the amount of land an individual could own.
-
Surplus land was taken by the government and redistributed to landless farmers.
-
-
Consolidation of Landholdings
-
Fragmented and scattered landholdings were consolidated into single plots.
-
This improved efficiency of cultivation and use of modern technology.
-