The Socio-Economic Caste Census of 2011, put the households with no land at 56.41 percent of total rural households. Similarly, the Draft National Land Reforms Policy released in July 2013 stated that 31 percent of all households are landless. Access to land and effective control over it is of fundamental importance not only for economic growth but also for poverty eradication and inclusive growth in the following ways:

• Reduction in poverty: Approximately 54.6 percent of the total workforce is engaged in agriculture and allied sectors. In this context:
  • Those without property rights generally lack the incentive or even the authority to invest in the land, which could lead to higher returns.
  • Secure land rights provide better credit accessibility and act as an insurance substitute in the event of shocks.
  • Research suggests that land ownership will create opportunities to increase investment in the development of children, which may help in breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty.
• Inclusive growth: It will help in eradicating socio-economic or productive exclusion by giving the owners assets in the form of land, which will create avenues of income generation for them.
  • Similarly, it will help empower women and marginalized sections of society if they get land ownership rights, as it would provide them a sense of security, a stronger voice in exercising their rights, and a buffer against economic and environmental shocks.

Since independence, several measures such as the abolition of intermediaries, tenancy reforms, and ceilings on landholdings were adopted, and consolidation and distribution of landholdings were envisioned. In the past few years, India has taken the following land reform measures focussing on inclusive growth:

• Digital India Land Record Modernisation Program (DILRMP): It was introduced in 2016 to computerize and update all land records and digitize maps and surveys. It aims to provide conclusive titles of land ownership, reduce disputes, and facilitate quicker transactions of land.
  • Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) Scheme: Launched in 2021, under this scheme, a 14-digit identification number would be provided to every surveyed parcel of land.
• SVAMITVA Scheme: It is a property survey program launched in 2020 to map residential land ownership in the rural sector using modern technology like drones. Recognized owners will be provided property cards.
• The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LARR), 2013: The Act contains provisions to provide fair compensation to those whose land is taken away bring transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factories or buildings, infrastructural projects, and assures rehabilitation of those affected.
• The Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016: It recognizes farmers who are cultivating on leased lands and enables loan accessibility to them through institutional credits.
• The Draft Model Contract Farming Act, 2018: It aims to protect the interests of farmers through a forward contract. It also restricts the development of permanent structures on farmers’ land/premises. Further, it ensures that no right or title of interest of the land shall vest in the contract farming sponsor.

Also, in this regard, the NITI Aayog has framed a Draft Model Act and Rules on Conclusive Land Titling in 2019, which is under discussion. Since the subject of ‘land’ and its management falls under the State List, the success and failures of land reforms lie on the state governments. State initiatives such as the Bhoomi project of Karnataka a successful examples, which can be replicated on a pan-India level.