Dispassionate Review On India’s Agrarian Laws: With Special Reference To The State Of Tamil Nadu
Deepshitha SR, BA (ENG LIT), LLM, Government Law College, Villupuram
INTRODUCTION:
It is an acclaimed fact that India is predominantly an agrarian country. The prodigious population of people depends upon agriculture for sustenance. So agrarian laws and reforms is noteworthy for the economy of our country. India being an agrarian nation has contributed 19.9 % to the gross domestic product of India in 2020-2021. Indeed farmers who may be the landlord or a cultivating tenant faces many stumbling blocks which make them to give up their profession and move on to urban areas. The major cause of this situation arises to problems faced by the farmers especially one related to land.
PRE – INDEPENDENCE AGRARIAN LAWS:
Traditionally, before arrival of British in India, ownership of land was an unfamiliar concept. Generally lands was owned by village community Later on during the reign of Akbar by Todar Mal land revenue system was initiated in which land was measured, classified and rents were fixed accordingly.India being ruled by several rule, rural economic policies kept on changing. The main aims of these policies were to earn more money and wealth, ruthlessly exploiting poor peasants, without caring much about the interest of the cultivators. During the advent of British rule primarily three types of land tenures was established. Firstly “Zamindari system” was introduced by lord Cornwallis, in which dominion of land was under rich landowners called “Zamindars” they served as an intermediate class who collects the tax. This system also known to be permanent land settlement system extended in Bengal, Bihar, Banaras division of northern western provinces. Land revenue was fixed by zamindars which broke the back of peasants.so under this system zamindars were the benefited as landlords in perpetuity. Their title of land was hereditary, land was retained within same families for generations as a result rich became richer and poor became poorer.
Another system similar to Zamindari system was “Jagirdari system” was developed during the time of Muslim rule in early 13th century. jagirdars were holders of land assignment in lieu of judicial and political duties. Jagirs are official appointee of the state of the state who collects revenue of estate and governing power was bestowed on them.
