Lok Sabha Question No. 1453 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-11
Subject: Landless Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1453

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2020

## LANDLESS FARMERS

1453.  SHRI DEVUSINH JESINGHBHAI CHAUHAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that a huge number of farmers are still landless in the country, if so, the details of the estimated landless farmers in the country, State-wise;
- (b) whether  it  is  true  that  the  National  Commission  on  Farmers  recommended  for provision  of  one  acre  of  land  to  every  landless  farmer,  if  so,  the  reasons  why  crores  of farmers of the country are still landless;
- (c) whether  the  Government  will  conduct  any  survey  or  study  on  the  number  and conditions of landless farmers in the country, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has taken measures to identify and distribute or allocate land to  landless  farmers  in  all  these  years  to  improve  their  living  condition,  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): No specific census/survey of landless farmers has been conducted and as such the exact  number  of  landless  farmers  in  the  country  is  not  available.  However,  State-wise number of wholly leased-in operational holdings as per Agriculture Census 2015-16 is given in the Annexure.
- (b): The  National  Commission  on  Farmers,  under  the  Chairmanship  of  Prof.  M.S. Swaminathan,  had,  inter-alia, recommended  that  'wherever  feasible, landless labour households  should  be  provided  with  at  least  1  acre  per  household,  which  will  give  them space  for  home  gardens  and  animal  rearing'.    The  major  recommendations  of  the Commission  were  included  in  the  'Draft  National  Policy  for  Farmers'  submitted  by  the Commission itself in 2006. Based on the 'Draft National Policy for Farmers', the Government approved the National Policy for Farmers (NPF)-2007.

The  policy  provisions  in  NPF-2007  include,  inter-alia,  asset  reforms  to  strengthen implementation of laws relating to land reform, with particular reference to tenancy laws, land leasing,  distribution  of  ceiling  surplus  land  and  wastelands,  providing  adequate  access  to common  property  and  wasteland  resources,  etc.  Since,  'Land'  and  its  management  falls within  the  legislative  and  administrative  jurisdiction  of  the  States  and  the  role  of  Central Government is advisory in nature, State Governments have been advised for distribution of land to the eligible poor by action plans and by undertaking special drives.

(c): Government is not contemplating any proposal to conduct a specific survey or study on the number and conditions of landless farmers.

(d): The subject relating to Land and its management falls within the jurisdiction of States. Thus the role of Central Government in the field of land reforms is only of advisory nature. With a view to address the issues in the area of land leasing, NITI Aayog has developed a 'Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016' for adoption by States and circulated to all the States. The Model Act offers an appropriate template for the states and UTs to draft their own piece of legislations, in consonance with the local requirements and adopt an enabling Act.  Key  elements  of  the  Model  Land  Leasing  Act  are  to  legalize  land  leasing  to  promote agricultural  efficiency,  equity  and  poverty  reduction;  facilitate  all  tenants,  including  share croppers  to  access  insurance  bank  credit  and  bank  credit  against  pledging  of  expected output; and legalize land leasing in all areas to ensure complete security of land ownership right for land owners and security of tenure for tenants for the agreed lease period.

## Statement referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1453 due for reply on 11.02.2020

| S. No.    | States/UTs        |   Wholly Leased-in Holdings |
|-----------|-------------------|-----------------------------|
| 1         | A&N Islands       |                          12 |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh    |                       30445 |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh |                           0 |
| 4         | Assam             |                        3012 |
| 5         | Bihar             |                        4090 |
| 6         | Chandigarh        |                           0 |
| 7         | Chhattisgarh      |                         377 |
| 8         | D&N Haveli        |                           2 |
| 9         | Daman & Diu       |                           0 |
| 10        | Delhi             |                           0 |
| 11        | Goa               |                        4121 |
| 12        | Gujarat           |                           0 |
| 13        | Haryana           |                           0 |
| 14        | Himachal Pradesh  |                         200 |
| 15        | Jammu & Kashmir   |                         960 |
| 16        | Jharkhand         |                        2392 |
| 17        | Karnataka         |                          98 |
| 18        | Kerala            |                       21853 |
| 19        | Lakshadweep       |                           0 |
| 20        | Madhya Pradesh    |                        8340 |
| 21        | Maharashtra       |                         776 |
| 22        | Manipur           |                        6627 |
| 23        | Meghalaya         |                           0 |
| 24        | Mizoram           |                           0 |
| 25        | Nagaland          |                         317 |
| 26        | Odisha            |                      283071 |
| 27        | Puducherry        |                         223 |
| 28        | Punjab            |                        6576 |
| 29        | Rajasthan         |                        5486 |
| 30        | Sikkim            |                        1037 |
| 31        | Tamil Nadu        |                        9899 |
| 32        | Telangana         |                         763 |
| 33        | Tripura           |                        1575 |
| 34        | Uttar Pradesh     |                       21220 |
| 35        | Uttarakhand       |                         148 |
| 36        | West Bengal       |                      117665 |
| All India |                   |                      531285 |

Source: Agriculture Census 2015-16

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