The Land Problems and Land Reforms : A Case Study in Cooch Behar District (1947 -1993 AD)
Author:
Dolon Biswas
Independent Research Scholar
Department of History
University of North Bengal
Darjeeling,West Bengal,India
Email: dolon.history@gmail.com
Abstract::The present work attempts a detailed study of the Land Problems and Land reforms in Cooch Behar district. Land reform is a concept of independent India.Cooch Behar region belonged to Pragajyotishpur during ancient times. Later this Pragajyotishpur was changed to Lohito and Kamrupa.Cooch Behar district is located in the North Bengal corner of West Bengal. The Cooch Behar district of west Bengal has its own identity. Until the year 1949 Cooch Behar was an Indian Princely State ruled by the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, who had been a feudatory prince under the British Government. Cooch Behar was incorporated into the native of West Bengal in 1950(as per
section 290 A of the Government of India Act of 1stJanuary 1935). Later, on 1st January 1950, Cooch Behar become a district of Indian state of West Bengal. Since the partition of India, millions of the people (most of them in search of life, livelihood and shelter)came in Cooch Behar district. The Partition of 1947 led to the influx of Refugees from East Pakistan to different part of India, which was also the case in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. North Bengal is the fresh Land of research work. Since a long time many indigenous group of people like – Koches, Rajbanshis, the Bodoes, Rabhas , Meches, Pans , Poliyas, Madashis were living in this area. Out of the total Rajbanshis of North Bengal, about 74% were living in Cooch Behar. Economically the Rajbanshis were more dependent on primary sector (agriculture). Zamindars, Jotedars and Bargadars were the main characters in Land reform of Bengal. In the decades since independence West Bengal, Land reform progress can be divided into three phases. Such as, Land reform in Post-independence West Bengal with the passage of the West Bengal Bargader Act (1950), followed by the West Bengal Estate Acquisition Act (1953) and the West Bengal Land Reforms Act (1955).
Key Words::Cooch Behar, North Bengal, Partition, Land Reform, Migration, Land Distribution etc.