Distribution of Landholdings in Rural India: A Comparative Study of Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Non-Scheduled Caste and Tribes

The study, based on Nss data, reveals thal the per cent of Total land Owned by the Households Belonging to Non-scheduled Caste and Tribe Declined by varying Degree during the 1980s practically in all the Major States of India. It, Pari Passu Implies an Increase in the Share of Land Owned by the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households. Nonetheless, the per Cent of total Land, accounted for by Scheduled Caste Households was much less Compared to their Share in Total Population and also Compared to the Land Owned by the remaining Two Social Groups. Likewise, notwithstanding Decline in the Incidence of landlessness among all the Three Social groups in a Majority of the States, the Proportion of Landless Households among Scheduled Castes in about Half the States, was Higher Compared to both Scheduled Tribes and Non-scheduled Castes, and Tribes. The Amount of Total Land accounted for by Scheduled Caste Households was also Highly Unequally Distributed. Tne Extent of Inequaiities in the Distribution of Land, Measured by Gini Coefficient, mthe Proportion of Total Land Accounted for by the Households at the Top 1 Per Cent, 5 per Cent, 10 per Cent and 20 per Cent and the area Owned by Large Holdings, increased further between 1982 and 1992 in a majorily of the States Pointing towards an acceleration in the Process of Polarisation of Landholdings among Scheduled Castes.