Gender, Land and Land Rights: Tribes and Caste Hindus

Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Socio-Economic Profile of the sample state and districts. 3. Location of sample villages and socio-economic profile of the sample population. 4. Joint patta system and the status of land holding among men and women. 5. Knowledge base and exercise on joint patta and other land rights. 6. Summary of findings and recommendations. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.

This volume, as a pioneering piece of empirical work is unique in the studies of gender and land issues. In a patrilinial base women have always remained at the back bench. One of the major reasons for this is that they are debarred from the right of having their share of landed properties either from their paternal side or from the side of their affinal kins. This, of course, has widened the gender gap and theirby led women to be subordinate and subservient to their male counterparts.

India is a welfare state and as such with a view to providing equal rights to women on possession of land, it has recently introduced Joint Patta Act by which both the spouses would legally have equal rights over a piece of land given gratis to the poor beneficiaries. Moreover, it has also revitalilzed the Hindu succession Act 1956 in the present context. But is the motto achieved? It is, certainly a great question. To unfold the reality, this volume makes a comparison between ST and Non-ST households of two Districts; one tribal dominated and the other one dominated by the Non-ST population. It has dealt with paternal land ownership system between men and women in simple and complex societies of these two districts and also finds out the knowledge base and exercise of Joint Patta and Rights on Hindu Succession Act 1956.

This book will be useful to the academicians, researches, administrators, civil societies, students of higher education and all those who are interested in this type of study.