What was the Land Ceiling Act? Why did the Land Ceiling Act become necessary?

The Land Ceiling Act was a legal measure introduced by the Indian government to set an upper limit on the amount of agricultural land an individual or family could own. Any land exceeding this fixed limit, known as the ceiling limit, was acquired by the government and redistributed to landless farmers or marginalized groups to promote social justice and reduce inequality in land ownership.

The Land Ceiling Act became necessary because, after independence, land ownership in India was highly concentrated in the hands of a few landlords, while a large number of farmers remained landless or owned very small plots. This led to severe economic disparity, exploitation of tenant farmers, and inefficient agricultural practices. The act aimed to:

• Prevent the concentration of land in a few hands
• Distribute surplus land to the landless
• Promote equitable wealth distribution
• Increase agricultural productivity by ensuring better land utilization

By limiting land ownership, the government sought to create a more balanced and just agrarian society.