Land Reforms and Land Laws
Land reform was the biggest economic event in the history of the State before 2019.
| Year | Measure | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Naya Kashmir manifesto of the National Conference | Blueprint of "land to the tiller" and abolition of intermediaries |
| 1950 | Big Landed Estates Abolition Act | Ceiling 182 kanals (22.75 acres); land passed to tillers, large jagirs ended |
| 1956 | Common Lands (Regulation) Act | Rights of the public over common lands |
| 1962 | Consolidation of Holdings Act | Joined scattered plots |
| 1976 | Agrarian Reforms Act | Ceiling lowered to 100 kanals (12.5 acres) |
| 2001 | Roshni Act (Vesting of Ownership to Occupants) | Meant to give ownership of state land to occupants; struck down by the High Court in October 2020 and repealed |
| 2020 | Adaptation of land laws | Several old land laws repealed, non-agricultural land can be bought without the earlier domicile rule |
Results of the 1950 reform
- Land passed to the tiller, mostly without compensation to large owners.
- Rural poverty fell and a class of small owner-farmers emerged.
- Side effect: holdings became very small. In the Agriculture Census 2015-16, J&K had 14.17 lakh holders and an average holding of only 0.59 hectare.
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from the J&K Economic Survey 2025-26, J&K Budget 2026-27, PRS Legislative Research, NITI Aayog and replies in Parliament and the Legislative Assembly. Figures are advance estimates or latest available and official replies sometimes differ, so check the latest Economic Survey and Budget before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.