Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 & Land Revenue Act, 1956 — Practice

Question 1

Which Act resumed jagir land in Rajasthan and in which year?

Accepted Answer

The Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952, which resumed jagir land and ended the jagirdars' role as intermediaries between the state and the cultivators.

Question 2

Name the four principal land records maintained in Rajasthan.

Accepted Answer

The jamabandi, which records rights and rent for each holding; the khasra, the plot-wise survey record; the khatauni, the holder-wise record; and the girdawari, the crop inspection record, all maintained by patwaris.

Question 3

Who is a khatedar tenant under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955?

Accepted Answer

A khatedar tenant is a cultivator who holds land directly from the state with heritable rights, including persons admitted as tenants and allottees of government land under the Land Revenue Act. The status gives security of tenure, but transfer and sub-letting of the holding are restricted by the Act.

Question 4

Why does the Tenancy Act restrict the transfer of khatedari land?

Accepted Answer

Restrictions on sale, gift, bequest and sub-letting prevent land concentration, the return of intermediaries and the loss of land by weaker holders, especially Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Violations expose both the tenant and the transferee to ejectment. Critics argue that the limits also reduce credit and land-market flexibility.

Question 5

Describe the revenue hierarchy in Rajasthan.

Accepted Answer

At the village, the patwari maintains land records. The tehsil is headed by a Tehsildar, the sub-division by a Sub-Divisional Officer and the district by the Collector. The Divisional Commissioner supervises the division, and the Board of Revenue at Ajmer is the highest revenue authority and court under the Land Revenue Act, 1956.

Question 6

What is the purpose of Section 90A of the Land Revenue Act?

Accepted Answer

Section 90A regulates the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes such as housing or commerce, particularly in urban areas, on payment of prescribed charges. It is a key tool for planned urban growth and a source of revenue.

Question 7

Explain the significance of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955. (~150 words)

Accepted Answer

The Act completed the abolition of the jagirdari system by giving cultivators secure, heritable rights as khatedar tenants. It defines the categories of tenants, sets out their rights and liabilities and restricts the sale, gift and sub-letting of holdings, with special protection for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, to prevent land concentration and the return of intermediaries. Violations can lead to ejectment, and disputes go to revenue courts rather than civil courts. The Act's significance lies in making the tenant secure and protecting weaker landholders, though restrictions on transfer have also been criticised for hindering land markets and credit. Together with the 1952 Jagirs Act and the 1973 ceiling law, it forms the base of Rajasthan's land reform.

Question 8

Discuss the land reform measures taken in Rajasthan after independence. (~150 words)

Accepted Answer

Land reform in Rajasthan followed three steps. The Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952 abolished jagirs, which had made nobles intermediaries between the state and cultivators. The Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 gave cultivators secure, heritable khatedari rights and restricted transfer and sub-letting, and the Land Revenue Act, 1956 set up the revenue administration, records and courts. A later law, the Rajasthan Imposition of Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1973, capped holdings and provided surplus land for redistribution. Results include the end of intermediaries and greater tenant security, but implementation was uneven, with gaps in surplus-land distribution, outdated records and disputes. Digitisation of land records and regular updating are now central to completing the reform.

Practice — Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 & Land Revenue Act, 1956

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