ABOLITION OF ZAMINDARI SYSTEM.

Zamindar were aristocrat, whoheld enormous tract of land control over the peasants, from whom
they reserved the right to collect tax.
Abolition of Zamindari system was major land reforms to attain social justice.
In November 1947, AICC appointed Economic Programme Committee headed by Jawahrlal
Nehru which recommended elimination of all intermediaries between the tiller and the state.
WHY ABOLISH ZAMINDARI?
These intermediaries would:
1.

Force the tenants to provide demand free labour (Begari)

2.

evict tenants as per their whims and fancies = no tenure security

3.

Enjoyed lavish lifestyle, did not add anything to agriculture productivity, yet charged
high rent

IT WAS NECESERY TO ABOLISH IT BECAUSE:

Because Art. 23 prohibited Begari
Because Art. 38 wanted to minimize inequality of income, status and opportunities
Because Art. 39 wanted equitable distribution of the material resources
Because Art.48 wanted to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on modern-scientific lines
by 1949: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Madras, Assam and Bombay states introduced
Zamindari abolition bills.
ZAMINDARI ABOLITION ACT:
SALIENT FEATURE:

Compensation to zamindars.
Some states created Zamindari Abolition fund and gave Bonds to Zamindars as
compensation.
Earlier Zamindars controlled common land/resources and charged fees from villagers, if
they wanted to use it; did not allow SC/ST to full access these common land/resources.

These Zamindari Abolition acts transferred the ownership of such common

land/resources to Village Panchayat. And Forest area= gone to Forest department.
Now Farmer was made directly liable for paying land revenue to the state government.

LIMITATION:
LAND REFORM DELAYED = LAND REFORM DENIED
After laws were passed, Zamindars went to SC/HC to stay the law implementation. This greatly
reduced the effectiveness of these legislations. But Even, after the law was finally implemented,
the Zamindars refused to cooperate with the revenue authorities and tried all means to scuttle it
implementation. The petty revenue officials at Village and Tehsil level, either turned blind eye or
actively sided with Zamindars for bribes. Thus many years had passed by for the intention of
Zamindari abolition became a reality.
PERSONAL CULTIVATION:
Most state laws permitted Zamindars to keep part of land for personal cultivation. But the
definition was vague. Zamindars misused this loophole to evict tenant farmers and keep most of
the land with themselves.
NEW FORM OF ZAMINDARI :

Main beneficiaries of zamindari abolition were the occupancy tenants or the upper
tenants or superior tenants- They had direct leases from the zamindar, and now they became
virtual landowners.

But now these new landowners leased the same land to inferior tenants/sharecroppersbased on oral and unrecorded agreements.

These inferior tenants/sharecroppers could be evicted as per the whims and fancies of the
new landowner.

Thus, even after the abolition of Zamindari, the system of intermediaries and
exploitation continued.

OVER ALL:

The Main objective of Zamindari abolition was that there should be no middleman
between the State and the land Revenue payer (farmer). But this objective was not achieved.

Therefore, many economists do not attach much significance to Zamindari abolition.

They opine Zamindari abolition merely changed the hierarchy of land revenue
administration, but did not bring any change in the method of farming or in the nature of
agricultural units.

POSITIVE POINTS:
1.

1,700 lakh hectares of land was acquired from the intermediaries (zamindars) and as a
consequence, about two crore tenants were brought into direct relationship with the
government.

2.

Many millions of cultivators who had previously been weak tenants or tenants-at-will
were became superior tenants= virtual owners.= DPSP Art. 39 fullfilled (right to adequate
means of livelihood for all citizens)

3.

Many absentee zamindars actually started direct personal cultivation (so the State
cannot take away their land). They had money to buy high yielding seeds, pesticides,
fertilizers, machineries=agro productivity increased.

4.

The entire process occurred in a democratic framework

5.

Virtually no coercion or violence was used (unlike the land reforms in China, Russia or
Cuba.)

6.

Finished in remarkably short period. Perhaps because Zamindars were isolated during
and after freedom struggle due to their soft corner for the British.

AGRO PRODUCTION INCREASED:

BEFORE

AFTER

ZAMINDARS COLLECTED REVENUE

Government directly collects land Revenue

from farmer.

neither the zamindars, nor the cultivators took

interest in improvememt of agriculture land

1.

Cultivators have got ownership rights

and hence take keen interest in land
improvement and increase in agriculture
production.

2.

Government created an enabling

atmosphere- agri. cooperative society,
regional rural banks etc. to provide cheap
credit. Subsidy on fertilizers, cheap
electricity, irrigation etc.

DPSP Art. 48 fullfilled (modern and

scientific
agriculture
and
animal
husbandry)

RISE OF MIDDLE CLASS:

Since the intermediaries were removed=>farmers dont have to pay heavy rent=>these
farmers could generate profit=>could sent their kids to school and colleges.
So in a way, land reforms helped in expansion of Indian middleclass.

TOWARDS EGALITARIAN SOCIETY:

Abolition of intermediaries=> asset distribution=> egalitarian society.

The Planning Commission estimates that after Abolition of Zamindari, at least twenty
million tenants were brought into direct relationship with the governments.
Empowerment of those who have out of the development process.
= DPSP Art.38 fulfilled. (Securing a social order, minimize inequality of income, status,
facilities and opportunities.)

CHANGED RURAL POWER STRUCTURE:

Public land such as village ponds, grazing grounds, village streets etc. which was used by
the Zamindars as personal property, have been declared as community property. =DPSP
Art. 39 full filled (material resources of community).

This disarmed the Zamindars of economic exploitation and dominance over others. Thus,
transferred power from Zamindars to peasants.