om e 's Ali a - Land ss De elo en - Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, India Office

economic rights of Scheduled
Castes and particularly against the
encroachment on their land by the
upper cast people, section 3 (1) (IV)
(V) of Central Government’s SC/ST
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989
provides that if any non-SC/ST
person encroaches upon the land
Process of Land Alienation
of Dalits, then he is likely to be
imprisoned for a minimum period of
six months and a maximum period
of five years and a fine. These laws
were of tremendous significance
to tribal people because of their
dependence on land and forests for
their livelihood.
The Planning Commission’s Aspirations for Indian Women
Women need to be given priority, Women tend to be the most commonly landless and
are the poorest even among poor households. At the same time, in the rare cases where
women have land or a house of their own it is found to make a critical difference to
them and their family’s welfare. For instance, such women face less risk of destitution
and domestic violence, and improved economic well being. The welfare of their children
also improves, mother’s assets are found to have a greater positive effect on children’s
nutrition, education and health than the father’s assets. Women also tend to spend more
of their income on the children’s needs than men. Allotments made to women would
therefore benefit both poor women and their families
Allotments given to groups of families in a consolidated space would be more beneficial
than scattered allotments, for several reasons. One, allotments that are all together will
help create a community in which people can socially interact and help each other. Two, it
is easier to provide infrastructural support – such as drinking water and sanitation, primary
school, primary health centre etc. – to a consolidated group. In fact such support services
should be a part of the initial plan when land is distributed to the landless.
A women’s resource centre, catering to women especially of poor communities, could also
be planned alongside. At present, village women have no designated public place where
they can comfortably go to obtain information and learn about livelihood opportunities,
and about their rights and laws. A resource centre catering only to women, with a particular
emphasis on poor dalit women would go a long way in fulfilling this need. It should
provide relevant information relating to government loan schemes, employment schemes,
their legal rights, legal aid, farm technology, health care, and so on. This information could
be given through written material as well as electronic media.
Excerpted from Report of the Working Group on Land Relations for Formulation of 11 th
Five Year Plan, Planning Commission Government of India, New Delhi; July 2006
105