Transformation in the Pattern of Asset Holding of Rural Households in West Bengal during 1961-62 to 1981-82

This paper attempts to investigate the degree of transformation in the asset holding structure of rural households in West Bengal during 1961-62 to 1981-82. While the cultivators and all rural households have improved their asset holding position by achieving a positive real rate of growth of assets, the asset holding position of non-cultivators households has deteriorated. The basic pattern of the distribution and composition of asset have not undergone any radical change. There is still high degree of inequality in the distribution of assets with heaviest concentration of assets in the hands of the households belonging to lop asset size group.