Kerala Model Development: Land Reforms

Land Reforms has an ancient history in India. When there was British Raj in India, during independence, an agrarian system that was semi-feudal was inherited by India. Since then, voluntary land reforms have been initiated by the state. Kerala and West Bengal are the two states where many successful land reforms were seen. Land reforms definition states that it is an agrarian reform that involves changes in regulations, laws, or customs related to ownership of land. It includes the redistribution of property, usually land used for agricultural purposes initiated by the government or backed by the government. In simple terms, it can be referred to as the ownership transfer from a powerful holder to a less powerful one. These transfers may include compensation as well. To clearly understand the land reforms definition, we will discuss more Kerala model development: Land Reforms.

Kerala model of development: Land Reforms

The Kerala model of development refers to all the economic practices adopted by Kerala. Among the two states of India has shown some successful land reforms examples. K.R. Gowri Amma, the first EMS government minister, started a law known as the Land Reforms Ordinance in Kerala. In Kerala, the first Communist government of the state was elected was the EMS government. The oath of office for this government was taken in 1957. Following this, one of the controversial laws, the Land Reforms Ordinance, was made into the act. Along with this, the Education Bill also created a controversial scenario. 

“The land for tillers” was the slogan that radical socialists used. The amount that a family can own for land was at an absolute ceiling when this land reform came into action. All the hut dwellers and tenants who owned excess land received a letter and a claim on which these people used to work for many years under the presence of the feudal system. This land reform created the state government to have a premature death because the central government of India, which was under Jawaharlal Nehru, took the help of article 356 and dismissed this particular land reform. 

Since Independence time only, Kerala has seen drastic economic, social, and political outlooks because of the land reforms. In 1957, the government introduced the legislative assembly with the land reforms bill. Following this, in 1958, the agrarian relations Bill was passed along with some minor amendments. More land reform bills were passed in 1960, 1963, and 1964. However, one of the most historical acts of land reform in Kerala, which is known as the Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act which the government of C.Achutha Menon initiated in 1969, brought an end to the existing feudal system and made sure that the tenants right on the land came into action from 1970.

Main Objectives

The main objectives of Kerala model development: Land Reforms are:

• To make sure that the society is under consistent transformation and progress towards development
• To make sure that the laborers who do not have land for agriculture get the excess land and to bring land ceiling into action
• To ensure that modernisation along with economic development is achieved
• Tenant ownership was bestowed with at least ten cents of the land
• To bring an end to all the old feudal relationships with the help of permitting and authorizing the right to those real peasants so they can own land on which they cultivate
• To bring an end to all the inequalities and exploitation present in the agrarian sector
• To bring an end to the feudalism era

Impacts of Land Reforms

The impacts of Kerala model development: Land Reforms are:

• Dwelling places were given to thousands of people
• Land leasing was announced to be unlawful
• It brought an extinction to Jenmis, who majorly collected leases for living
• A few of the big farmers who used to cultivate on some of the lease lands became the owner of those lands
• The ownership of the land was transferred to the leaseholders
• The excess land was sold by their owners

Conclusion

Kerala, in terms of land reforms, has got a great history. Many major historical land reforms happened in Kerala. The last land reform that was passed in Kerala was in 2012. These land reforms come with some benefits as per their objectives, but for some people, there can be some impacts as well. One of the major reasons for the economic development of Kerala is the land reforms that took place in the state.