Irrational land distribution among dalits and tribes: an enigma before kerala economy

Kerala stands as a model in the implementation of Land Reforms in India. In recent times, there is a growing discussion in the disparity between land reforms and equity in land ownership. The present paper tries to argue that even though land reforms become successful in Kerala by providing land to a minor proportion of people, it failed to give them economic independence. Because, through Land Reforms Act, it was given only a small piece of land for their shelter and it was quite impossible for them to depend completely on this plot of land for their livelihood. This becomes a vital cause for the continuation of backwardness of Dalits and Tribes in Kerala even after the introduction of Land Reforms and it is a paradox with Kerala’s achievement in social development which is widely acclaimed as ‘Kerala Model’. This shows that they are not included in the success story of Kerala. The Land Reform Movement failed to provide adequate land to them and also become responsible for the existence of various paradoxes like stagnant growth of agriculture and emergence of absentee landlordism. All these underline the necessity to address the issue of land reforms once again.