Changing Land Structures Of West Bengal: A Study of Inequality Across Minorities In Rural West Bengal

Land inequality in Indian agriculture has been a persistent issue as the feudal nature of the countryside enables a minority section of landlords to control a significant share of operational land where-as the backward communities remain landless and isolated from other means of production. Initially, land reforms in West Bengal made strides in reducing land inequality, benefitting the marginalised community; however, the 1990s liberalisation policies reversed these gains fostering a resurgence of land inequality. This cycle underscores the complex interplay between historical reforms and contemporary economic shifts, revealing the ongoing challenges in addressing land ownership disparities. The survey-based method helps understand land-dynamics in the villages at a micro-level.