The Kerala model highlights an economy with spectacular developments in the social sector without having a good economic backup. Land reform was undertaken more effectively in Kerala. Land reform in kerala imparted drastic changes to the economic outlook.
Land and buildings comprise 72% of assets of Indian households and 92% of the value of assets of Indian households. However, unclear land titles in India makes assessment of land rights difficult. Reasons behind unclear land titles: Land ownership is established through multiple documents maintainedRead more
Land and buildings comprise 72% of assets of Indian households and 92% of the value of assets of Indian households. However, unclear land titles in India makes assessment of land rights difficult.
Reasons behind unclear land titles:
- Land ownership is established through multiple documents maintained by different departments working in silos, making it cumbersome to access them. For example, sale deeds are stored in the registration department, maps in survey department, and property tax receipts in revenue department.
- Land ownership in India is presumptive i.e. the legal framework in India does not provide for guaranteed ownership. Even if a person holds a registered sale deed, it is not a guaranteed title to the property and subject to challenge.
- The cost of registering property is high. Since registration of property is not mandatory for certain transactions, people avoid registering resulting in incorrect reflection of the ownership.
- Poor maintenance of land records has resulted in the spatial records not matching textual records. States have not updated the records through surveys. Further, maps have not been used to establish actual boundaries on the ground.
Challenges faced due to it:
- High litigation: A World Bank report of 2007 suggests that land related disputes account for two-third of all pending court cases in the country. Also, according to the Niti Aayog, land disputes on an average take 20 years to get resolved.
- Lack of access to formal credit: In rural areas, small and marginal farmers, who may not hold formal land titles, are unable to access institutionalized credit.
- Impedes development: In urban areas, disputed land titles lead to lack of transparency in real estate transactions and any infrastructure created on land that is not encumbrance-free makes such investments risky.
- Opacity in transactions: Unclear titles and non-updated land records enable carrying out property transactions in a non- transparent manner.
Benefits of digitizing land records in overcoming these challenges:
- It would improve the quality of land records and make them more accessible, thereby, helping in determining conclusive titling.
- It will enable complete transparency in land titles since property records could be placed in the public domain. Digitization would also enable real time updates and changes in land record.
- It would enable banks and financial institutions to check the validation of title, thus, easing the access to credit.
- It would make it difficult to evade taxation on property since clarity on land ownership would also reveal the quantum of land possessed by a person.
- The Standing Committee on Finance (2015) examining the Benami Transactions Prohibition. (Amendment) Bill, 2015 noted that generation of black money through benami transactions could be pre-empted and eliminated by digitisation of land records and their regular updation.
Therefore, the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) seeks to improve the quality of land records in the country, make them more accessible, and move towards government-guaranteed titles. Access to land rights and therefore land has a wide-ranging impact on livelihoods, industrial, economic, and social growth.
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The Land Reform Act in Kerala played a crucial role in shaping the state's economic and social landscape, contributing significantly to what is known as the "Kerala Model of Development." Here are the key impacts of the Land Reform Act on the Kerala Model of Economics: 1.Redistribution of Land: TheRead more
The Land Reform Act in Kerala played a crucial role in shaping the state’s economic and social landscape, contributing significantly to what is known as the “Kerala Model of Development.” Here are the key impacts of the Land Reform Act on the Kerala Model of Economics:
1.Redistribution of Land:
The Land Reform Act aimed to redistribute land from large landowners (often landlords) to landless agricultural laborers and poor farmers. This redistribution helped in reducing land inequality and creating a more equitable distribution of agricultural resources.
2.Improvement in Agricultural Productivity:
By redistributing land to small farmers and agricultural laborers who previously had limited access to land, the Land Reform Act contributed to an increase in agricultural productivity. Small farmers typically cultivate land more intensively and are motivated to invest in improving productivity.
3.Poverty Reduction:
The Land Reform Act played a role in reducing poverty in Kerala by providing land to landless laborers and farmers, thereby enabling them to generate income from agricultural activities. This increased economic opportunities and improved living standards for many rural households.
4.Social Justice and Empowerment:
The Act promoted social justice by addressing historical injustices related to land ownership. It empowered marginalized communities, including Dalits and other lower castes, by giving them access to land and thus enhancing their socio-economic status.
5.Support for Welfare Measures:
The land reforms complemented Kerala’s focus on social welfare measures such as education, healthcare, and social security. Land ownership provided a base for rural households to participate more actively in development programs and benefit from public services.
6.Role in Human Development Indices:
The equitable distribution of land contributed to Kerala achieving high levels of human development, as evidenced by its high literacy rates, life expectancy, and low infant mortality rates. Land ownership provided a foundation for rural families to invest in education and healthcare for their children.
7.Political Impact:
The implementation of land reforms in Kerala was supported by a politically active population and progressive governments. This political will to enforce and protect land reforms contributed to their success and sustained impact on the state’s development model.
In essence, the Land Reform Act in Kerala was a cornerstone of the state’s economic development strategy, promoting agrarian reforms, reducing inequality, empowering marginalized communities, and contributing to overall human development. It played a pivotal role in shaping the unique socio-economic framework known as the Kerala Model of Economics, which emphasizes social welfare, equitable development, and human development indices alongside economic growth.
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