Emerging Trends in Size Distribution of Operational Holdings in Kerala

Emerging Trends in Size Distribution of Operational Holdings in Kerala P S George THE land reform measures introduced in Kerala, especially those initiated in 1957 and followed up with the Agrarian Relations Act 1961 and the Land Reforms Act 1964 are considered to be the most progressive land reforms legislations enacted in India.1 These measures had consolidated the different land legislations and land reform measures which existed in Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar and also provided a new scope and direction to the whole concept of land reforms. The main objectives of these measures were to introduce institutional transformation to achieve some level of efficiency of land utilisation and equity in agricultural production, and to ensure ownership rights to the actual users of land. The main pillars of land reform measures included abolition of landlordism, changes in the structure of holdings, especially the size structure, and removal of inequalities in the distribution of holdings through imposition of ceilings on holdings and redistribution of surplus land.