In order to avoid the provisions of the Land Ceiling Act, which among the following strategies was adopted by the landowners?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Benami transfers
Option (1) Benami transfers — Correct. The Land Ceiling Acts fixed an upper limit on the land a family could own, but there were many loopholes. Some rich farmers divorced their wives but continued to live with them, because the Act allowed a separate share for unmarried women but not for wives. Such transfers, made only on paper, were called ‘benami transfers’.
NCERT (2025-26): “Independent India … But in most of the states these acts proved to be toothless. There were many loopholes and other strategies through which most landowners were able to escape from having their surplus land taken over by the state. In some places, some rich farmers actually divorced their wives (but continued to live with them) in order to avoid the provisions of the Land Ceiling Act, which allowed a separate share for unmarried women but not for wives. These were also called ‘benami transfers’.…” |