Indian Express Editorial Summary
Editorial Topic : Hard Land Questions
GS-3 Mains Exam
Revision Notes
Context: Challenges in India’s Land Governance
India’s land governance is complex, characterized by:
- Unclear Titles: Ambiguities in property ownership hinder transactions.
- Insecurity of Tenure: Landowners face threats of eviction and lack confidence in their rights.
- Limited Access: Economically viable land is not easily accessible, impacting rural incomes and employment.
These challenges obstruct key development goals:
- Enhancing rural household incomes.
- Generating jobs through public and private investments.
- Promoting climate-friendly infrastructure.
- Addressing gender disparities in land ownership.
- Improving land securitization for credit access.
- Regularizing illegal properties (benami).
- Targeting farm subsidies effectively.
Digitisation of Land Records
The 2024 budget proposed digitisation to tackle these issues, focusing on:
- Digitising land records.
- Establishing land registries.
- Assigning unique IDs to parcels.
- Integrating with platforms like Agri Stack.
However, the root issues of land tenure insecurity and poor-quality records stem from conflicting laws and regulations, not merely from the format of records (paper vs. digital).
Limitations of Digitisation
While digitisation is essential, it does not guarantee:
- Improved land ownership.
- Better access to formal credit.
The political landscape complicates matters:
- Property ownership lacks recognition as a fundamental right.
- Many laws are shielded from judicial review, preventing landowners from contesting administrative decisions.
- Multiple restrictions exist on land transfer, type, size, and use, leading to market fragmentation.
These conditions push land transactions underground, making consolidation difficult and increasing dependence on state land acquisition.
Addressing the Issues
A comprehensive legal and administrative reform is necessary to:
- Encourage accurate land reporting.
- Enhance land record management.
- Update tenancy laws and land use regulations.
Proposals like integrating land records with Agri Stack do not tackle these foundational issues. Land banks aimed at facilitating land for renewable energy and infrastructure projects also face legal barriers, highlighting the need for a stronger legal framework.
Way Forward
To fully utilize India’s land resources for inclusive growth, a multi-faceted approach is essential:
- Legal Reforms: Strengthen property rights and streamline regulations.
- Efficient Land Markets: Facilitate land consolidation and enhance women’s land rights.
- Complementary Measures: Improve land records and promote better land use.
Conclusion
Addressing the root causes of land management challenges is critical for India to leverage its land resources effectively for the benefit of all citizens. Comprehensive reforms in laws and administrative practices are imperative for achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring equitable access to land.
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