9. Discuss the role of land reforms in agriculture development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India.

   At the time of independence India inherited a semi-feudal agrarian structure from the colonial administration. Ownership and control of land was concentrated on the hands of a few wealthy landlords and Zamindars.

    After Independence, India has undertaken various measures to undo the baneful structure and empower the farmers. Some measures to further improve agricultural development were:

• Abolition of intermediaries: Zamindari system was abolished. “Land to tillers” programme which recognized the tillers rights over land encouraged further investment in agriculture.
• Tenancy reforms:  They confirmed the occupancy rights of tenants and regulated rent that could be levied. This too encouraged the farmers to take proactive steps to improve farm produce.
• Reorganization of land holdings: Land ceiling acts were enacted to regulate the amount of land an individual could hold. It met with limited success since only 2 % of the land was reorganized by it.   
• Encouragement of Boodhan and Sarvodaya moment: They appealed to the people’s consciousness to donate land for the welfare of people.
• Consolidation of land holding: It was introduced to improve efficiency. It was successful in Punjab, Haryana but failed in Southern and eastern states.
• Collective joint farming: It aimed to pool the individual land holdings under village communities to reap the benefits of economies of scale. It was unsuccessful since people didn’t want to alienate their land.
• National Land Records Modernization Program launched in 2008 aimed at updating and digitalizing land records. It has brought clarity to the title of land holders and infused transparency.

Factors responsible for the success of land reforms:

• Political mobilization during freedom struggle was also based on agrarian issues. This political awareness and education facilitated the acceptance of land reforms to advance the development of agriculture.
• Political will of government. The government enacted laws and constitutional amendments to overcome several hurdles. Across political spectrum there was an acknowledgment and enthusiasm to facilitate these reforms.  
• Kissan Sabhas and Farmers Associations also helped farmers organize themselves and raise their demands.
• The spirit of freedom struggle and attainment of Independence inculcated the feeling to usher in a new era in India, where prosperity, growth and wealth where to be shared equally.
• Judicial backing and progressive interpretations of constitutional provisions aided in land reforms. Without abolishing Rights to property as fundamental right and providing for the exception of land reform legislations through IX schedule it would have been an uphill task to recognize land holdings.

    Land reforms were not only instruments of redistribution but of social transformation . They empowered the farmer and incentivized them to adopt advanced agricultural techniques. From a ‘ship to mouth’ existence, India has become one of the leading global producer (as well as exporter) of agricultural commodities.