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Difficulty: EasyAgriculture Sector Economics, Land Reforms, Subsidies, and Public Distribution System

In the context of post-independence land reforms in India, which of the following measures was implemented first to eliminate feudal tenure systems?

  1. Abolition of intermediaries (such as Zamindars, Jagirdars, and Inamdars)Answer
  2. B
    Imposition of ceiling limits on land holdings
  3. C
    Nationwide mandatory consolidation of fragmented holdings
  4. D
    Compulsory collectivization of small farmland into state farms

Answer

Abolition of intermediaries (such as Zamindars, Jagirdars, and Inamdars)
Immediately after independence, the abolition of intermediaries was prioritized as the foundational land reform measure in India. State legislations passed during the early 1950s brought nearly 20 million cultivators into direct contact with the government, giving them ownership rights over the land they tilled.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary structural reform undertaken immediately following Indian independence.
The immediate target of agricultural reform was eliminating the parasitic layer of feudal landlords between the state and actual tillers.
Intermediary systems like Zamindari led to heavy rack-renting and agricultural stagnation.
2
Verify the chronological order of land reform phases in India.
Phase 1 (1950s) achieved the abolition of intermediaries; Phase 2 (1960s-1970s) focused on tenancy regulation and land ceiling laws; Phase 3 focused on land records and consolidation.
Zamindari Abolition Acts were passed by various state legislatures right after the Constitution came into force.

Key Concept

Phases of Post-Independence Land Reforms in India
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Topics

Agriculture Sector Economics, Land Reforms, Subsidies, and Public Distribution System