A great deal of legislation was enacted on this subject during the last two decades. But large and significant gaps have been left in its implementation. The land ceilings in some States have been fixed at a high level and even the ceilings, as have been fixed, have not been implemented. The result in terms of distribution of surplus land to landless labourers and small farmers has been insignificant. There is thus an urgent need to consider the problem of ceiling afresh. The ceiling on land holding must be imposed in terms of family as a unit and not on per capita basis. This will be the only way to get some sizeable land for redistribution. The two basic precepts of security of tenure and fixity of rent are yet to be assured to the farmers in several regions of the country. The ownership of lands on which the houses of the landless agricultural labour stand, has yet to be conferred on them in several States. The resultant feeling of insecurity in the minds of the landless labour and small farmers must be removed without any further loss of time.
This is one area of action where we have failed to make any significant dent. The increasing tensions and unrest in the rural areas are a proof of the neglect, if any proof is required at all. It will be wholly unreal to treat these manifestations of frustration, insecurity, anger and impatience on the part of a sizeable section of masses as a pure law and order problem. The glaring disparities in the rural areas as a result of the Green Revolution and technological advances in modes and methods of cultivation have posed problems of staggering magnitude with serious social connotations. It will have to be admitted that the Bombay Session of Congress showed a keen and acute awareness of this potentially explosive area of tension by laying down a precise time-limit for implementation of land reforms programme.
The other problem to which we addressed ourselves in the Bombay Session pertained to the neglect of small cultivators, especially in the dry farming area.
These problems of unemployment, land reforms and small farmers must be accorded the highest priority in our programme of action. Our success or failure will be judged by the vast and alert masses on the basis of concrete results we produce on these three fronts.
