09/09/2020 - Government Policies

KEY POINTS

·         Rural debt waivers, farmers’ agitations, farmers’ suicides, migration and reverse migration in the wake of COVID-19 are some of its manifestations. At the root of these lies the issues of fragmented and uneven distribution of landholdings. The pressure on land continues to rise. The average holding size in 1970-71 was 2.28 hectares (Ha), which has come down to 1.08 Ha in 2015-16.

·         There has been scepticism about whether land consolidation indeed constitutes land reform. Our policy-makers have been convinced that it does. That is why it has been legislated and pursued since the beginning of the last century.

·         The National Commission of Agriculture has recommended that consolidation schemes should be made compulsory across the country.

·         It has now been well established that non-farm sector employment contributes about 60 per cent to the household income in rural areas. Therefore, policies conducive for the promotion of sectors such as small industries, education, health and other service enterprises need to be made.

·         Only consolidation can prise open these avenues for rural areas as large, consolidated holdings would make it easy for the government or private enterprises to acquire land, and for public agencies to lay the road, pipeline or electric supply.

·         Sadly, consolidation does not figure on the agenda of states. At this moment, because of the advances in information technology, drone technology, and land record digitisation, we are in a much better position to advance in this direction.

·         Given its benefit in terms of enabling more investment, reducing litigation, facilitating the setting up of new institutions and enterprises, the country must make this an important part of development and factor reforms agenda.

Pls review