Land Reforms in West Bengal

Abstract

The thesis is a study of the history, implementation and outcomes of land reforms in West newline Bengal. It attempts to document the agrarian and mass movements in the State that newline demanded land reforms, the design and execution of the policy before and after 1977 and the newline role played by elected State and local governments in the process. It also analyses the broad newline changes in land relations that resulted due to land reforms in three villages in West Bengal. newline The evaluation of land reforms in West Bengal has been attempted through the study of its newline three component parts; redistribution of ceiling surplus land, tenancy reforms and newline redistribution of homestead plots. The programme for redistribution of joint and individual newline pattas of agricultural land to female members of the household was also discussed. newline Achievements of land reforms in West Bengal became an exemplar within the otherwise newline abysmal record of state led land reforms in India. The four main contributions highlighted in newline this thesis were firstly its role in ending decades of agrarian impasse by ushering in newline significant agricultural growth rates in the 1980s and early 1990s, thereby ending years of newline food grain deficiency in the state. Secondly, its impact on considerably reducing levels of newline rural poverty. West Bengal registered one of the starkest reductions in the incidence of rural newline poverty starting from the 1980s. Thirdly was the reduction in levels of inequality, especially newline in land ownership among the marginalized sections and lastly its complementary role in newline expanding democracy in the countryside. This thesis, along with discussing the achievements, newline also critically assesses the unfinished aspects of the land reforms agenda. newline This thesis emphasises the role of mass organizations in keeping the agenda of land reforms newline and its implementation focused. Land reforms took shape in West Bengal the way it newline gradually came to be articulated by the peasants movement. The movement s limitations in newline attacking the institution of caste and addressing the gender question, was found lacking in newline the larger movement around land reforms. newline The findings of this thesis show that land reforms in West Bengal allowed expansion of newline greater freedom in the study villages, by ensuring a more equitable distribution of land newline holding and land tenure structure. Beneficiaries of land reforms belonged to the marginalized newline sections in each village. There was no presence of the earlier jotedars and landlords in the newline villages, except in Panahar in the post land reforms period. Small and marginal holdings newline dominated the land structure. Sharecroppers had attained greater decision making powers. newline The gains from the growth in agricultural production were shared by the land reforms newline beneficiaries. However, the challenges of sustaining small scale production, within the larger newline trend of stagnant agricultural growth rates and lessening state support act as hurdles to retain newline the gains of the land reforms programme in West Bengal today newline