8.8 ndian onom
their land reform programmes, where it is PhAse-ii
seen as just an economic asset for income-
The second phase of land reforms can be traced
earning. in the process of economic reforms. Economic
(ii) Lack of political will which was required reforms exposed the economy to the new and
to affect land reforms and make it a emerging realities, such as, land acquisition and
successful programme. leasing, food-related issues and the agricultural
(iii) Rampant corruption in public life, provisions of the World Trade Organization
political hypocricy and leadership failure (WTO). We see a shift (Economic Survey
in the Indian democratic system. 2012–13) in the thinking of the Government of
India towards the issue of land reforms—a clear
lAnD reforms & green revolution three step policy looks emerging:
Once the government launched the Green (i) Mapping land carefully and assigning
Revolution, the issue of land reforms almost got conclusive title,
marginalised due to the following reasons: (ii) Devising a fair but speedy process of land
(i) There is an inherent diabolic relationship acquisition, and
between the Green Revolution and the (iii) Putting in place a transparent and
land reforms as the former suits bigger effective land leasing policy.
and economic land holdings, while the Land is probably the single most valuable
latter intended to fragment the land asset in the country today. Not only could greater
among a large number of the masses. liquidity for land allow more resources to be
(ii) The land reforms were socially opposed redeployed efficiently in agriculture, it could ease
by the land-owning caste lobbies, while the way for land-utilising businesses to set up.
Perhaps, as important, it could allow land to serve
there was no such opposition to the
as collateral for credit.
Green Revolution.
The National Land Records Modernisation
(iii) The level of legislative attempts taken
Programme (NLRMP), started in 2008, aims at
by the governments regarding the land
updating and digitising land records by the end
reforms till date had almost no positive
of the Twelfth Plan. Eventually, the intent is to
socio-economic impact on the country, move from presumptive title (where registration of
while the Green Revolution was having a title does not imply the owner’s title is legally
all potential of proving higher yields of valid) to conclusive title (where it does). Important
foodgrains. points related to this process may be summarised
(iv) The subsidised supplies of foodgrains as follows:
under PL480 were hampering India from (i) Digitisation will help enormously in
carving out its independent diplomacy, as lowering the costs of land transactions,
well as there has always remained a doubt while conclusive title will eliminate
about the regular supplies of wheat. legal uncertainty and the need to use
(v) International pressure as well as the the government as an intermediary for
suggestions from the World Bank acquiring land so as to ‘cleanse’ title.
besides the success stories of the Green (ii) Given the importance of this programme,
Revolution from the countries where it its rollout in various states needs to be
had increased the yield of wheat. accelerated—easier and quicker land