Himalayan Times (1954)

April II, 1954 , .
_________ Seven

population a.nd it will be almost an 771 77~7 7~,---1---

impossible task for the State to reha- Vrrn . "b*U' beIong ^ Op."

bilitatate them. .1. will thus, be seen ' *:;

that a mere acquisition of'the interests ^ There will he no intervening

of the rent-receivers, by the State would ,ont r(;celvi»g intents, and lands w'ffl
be no remedy fur ail the. evils of the by" lhe tilk,rs of tbftUoil;

existing-system of land tenure. (:!) The State eliminate, ami

In spite o'f tliebe stupendous diffi- acq<>'re all zamindari and intermediate

culties; the West Bengal Goverment deci- rent-receiving interests in lands and simi-"

Hed to initiate legislation, and a com mi- 'ar interest in mines;
tlee of two Ministers, two ex Ministers (I) Certain types and quantities

and the Member. Board of Revenue, of land will be allowed to be retained

West Bengal, was appoint'd in Augu.-t under tenancy directly under Government,

1952 to examine the whole question of on payment of rent Homesteads will

/.amindari abolition and Land Reforms be allowed to be retained free of rent,
in this State. The Committee submitted A Select Committee consisting ot

their recommendations n November 19f>2, members of different parties in the

and these were generally accepted by legislature scrutinised the Bill,
the Government. There arose certain

difficulties, it was pointed out that A Great Day

section 31A of the Indian Constitution Winding up the debate on the first

applied only to the acquisition of the reading of the Bill in the Assembly,

estates of propiietors, tenure-holders and Dr. Hoy, 'said:

other intermediaries above the category '«], •„ a great day for .all of us

of raiyats. So, for overall acquisition who-believe in Congress ideal. It has

of the estates this section of the Cons- been for many decades the settled policy

titutiou will have to be amended for pf the Congress that zammdars and

which purpose the Str.t- has applied to landlords as a class should go.
the Centre On May 7 1953. Sri S. K. 'This Government and the Govern-

Basu, Judical andI Land Revenue Minis- men(. ofIndja have gone through nearly

ter, introducing the Estates Acqnwit.ion three yeara of Fjve.Ycar Plan.......In'

Bill in the West Bengal Legislative Assem- Ms m. faaVe . t R„ l3 t0 Rs.

b'.y said: "The undoing oi the.Zamir- u crore every year lor developments of

dari System which the Bill seeks to varjcua ajm|8 Any improvement in the

bring about, will mean changing the fi ld of agrioultiirfe" must be "contingent

very foundation of our rural structure 0[1' ,he improvement in all spheres of
It will vitally affect tho whole social or else" the level of improvement on

and economic fabric of tile rural com- .,„,j'c„itllre j3 bound to slido back -Any

munity which form llhree fourths >f the j^-.^tihie' surplus ,from agricuhute; must

population of the. country' an<i willalsn j,„ 'j„,.p^ter| in industry and commerce

tax the financial ami administrative; (. tbu Slat0 je to develop and progress,

resources of the State. An irrevocable . fc,t«hat if agriculture is to

decs on has however ^n takea. ^nd- J^jfcjflgft, /group of pen-
the path chosen. 1 he risk is to be laced { country who can take up

with courage and oonv.ct.ou PJ? / and manufacturing

Fundamental Principles This is more true of this State

- The four fundamental principles oi concern, ^ whatever
of the Bill were:

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