Land reforms should be understood in perspective of both the pre and post independence era with respect to:
- High rate of taxation and rent
2. Ownership of Land
3. Indebtedness in rural areas- Large number of people had to borrow money from the traditional money lenders.
How were these issues resolved? Also, what were the plans of the nationalists?
- The freedom fighters had some plan in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
2. We also find some peasant movements in various states – there were formations of Kisan Sabhas like ‘Awadh Kisan Sabha’, ‘UP Kisan Sabha’, ‘Bihar Kisan Sabha’, ‘Andhra Riyad Association’, ‘Punjab Kisan Sabha’, etc.
3. Karachi Session of 1931
4. Congress regime from 1937-39
5. National Planning Committee (1938)
6. Bombay Plan (1944-45)
It is also important to know about the efforts made by the Government of India and various state Governments- because law and order, and land is a state subject. The major issues were:
1. Abolition of Zamindari System and other intermediaries
2. Tenancy Reform:
a) Security of tenure for tenants
b) High rent
c) Ownership of Land
3. Ceiling Act of 1959
4. Arrangements by State Government
5. Efforts by Gandhians (Cooperativization and Community Development Programmes)
The phase of agrarian reforms started post independence can also be called as the phase of institutional reforms.
When a peasant owned a certain piece of land, and paid tax to the Government, this was land revenue. But, when a tiller was tilling the fields of the owner, he paid rent to the landlord, and the landlord paid tax to the Government. A large percentage of Indian farmers, approximately, 60% of Indian farmers were tilling the land of others. These were the Big Zamindars, rich farmers who personally did not have to work on the field, thus, they would hire labourers, and give their land on lease. Gandhi decided that after India gained independence, tax from agriculture would be exempted however, a large number of peasants were still working on the fields of others. Hence, rent for the tillers was still an issue.
Tenancy – There were three main issues relating to tenants.
(i) How to ensure the security of tenancy?
(ii) How to ensure ownership rights to tenants?
(iii) How to reduce the rent?
