June 8 – GS3/Economy: 2026 | UPSC Daily Answer Writing Practice PDF Download

How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers?  (UPSC GS3 Mains)

Introduction
Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Under the British Raj, the farmers did not have the ownership of the lands they cultivated. In post-independent India, many initiatives were taken for bringing land reforms and improving the deplorable conditions of farmers.
Body
Land reforms helped to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers in the following ways:

• Abolition of the zamindari system: This removed the layer of intermediaries who stood between the cultivators and the state. It kept in check the debt trap and increased the share of marginal and small farmers in the production cost. 
• Tenancy reforms: The rent paid by the tenants during the pre-independence period was exorbitant. Tenancy reforms introduced to regulate rent, provide security of tenure and confer ownership to tenants. 
• Ceilings on landholdings: It was to deter the concentration of land in the hands of a few. It ensured redistribution of land from big landlords to landless labourers ensuring land ownership, access to credit, and food security. 
• Consolidation of landholdings: It prevented the subdivision and fragmentation of land holdings. It brought down the cost of cultivation and reduced litigation among farmers and generated higher incomes. 
• Cooperative farming: Under the mechanism, each member farmer remains the owner of his land but farming is done jointly. Profit is distributed among the member farmers in the ratio of land owned.

Challenges with the land reforms

• Land reforms were lengthy and cumbersome process. 
• Benami transactions became a point of concern under land ceiling act. 
• Digitisation of land records with efficiency and correct information will take time.

Conclusion
The pace of implementation of land reform measures has been slow but the objective of social justice has been achieved to a considerable degree. New and innovative land reform measures should be adopted with new vigour to eradicate rural poverty and improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers

Topics covered- land reforms - advantages and disadvantages