Development or Deprivation? Surplus Land Distribution Programme in Karnataka

Land is the most important indicator of socio-economic status in India. Size of landholding is closely associated with level of income and standard of living of the households and is a source of social prestige in rural society. The Government of Karnataka implemented the distribution of surplus land programme to the landless households for improving the socio-economic conditions of the deprived castes. This paper aims at evaluating the impact of the surplus land distribution programme on scheduled castes in Shedbal village of Belgaum district, North Karnataka.

Out of the 104 landless households, 12 (12 per cent) families were given 4 to 6 acres of land per family. The methodology used in the present paper for evaluating agricultural development is based on selected indicators such as mode of cultivation, cropping pattern, expenditure, income etc., and its impact on quality of life.

The empirical data reveal that the acute poverty of scheduled castes of Shedbal village as a whole is no doubt decreasing but not vanishing. Therefore, how can the scheduled castes of Shedbal be brought into the mainstream of India's economic and social development is an important challenge for the social scientists, activists as well as the planners.