A STUDY OF NEW LAND USE POLICY
xx+164pp
Mizoram, one of the hill states of India, is an agrarian economy where majority of the population practice shifting or jhum cultivation since the time of their forefathers. With the changing requirements of the growing population, jhum cultivation became devastating in nature, causing drastic decline in crop yield, loss of forest wealth, soil fertility, and biodiversity. It also causes environmental degradation. The need to develop alternative and sustainable form of land utilisation that could replace shifting cultivation was felt by the elites since the 1950s.
With the installation of a democratic system of administration in the state after Independence, different governments have shown earnest attempts to wean away the unsustainable practice of shifting cultivation by introducing more sustainable systems of land utilisation and alternative livelihood activities. The major initiatives introduced were Garden Colony, New Land Use Policy, Jhum Control Project, and Mizoram Intodelhna Project. Of these initiatives, the New Land Use Policy occupies a unique place because it had been implemented three times by the same party under the same leadership, while the coverage and expenditures were also significantly larger than the other projects.
The various land use initiatives were successful in many respects in achieving their main objectives. However, the practice of shifting cultivation persists even today. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the various dimensions of these policies, their areas of achievements, and also the areas where they had failed. This book is a study of the several initiatives of the Government of Mizoram that aimed at the emergence of sustainable land use practices, with greater emphasis given to the case of NLUP.
Dr. James L.T. Thanga, a young scholar teaching Economics in Mizoram University, has completed several research projects, and had published a number of research papers in different journals. He has three books to his credit, Consumer Behaviour in North East India, Rural Land Use Plan for New Land Use Policy in Mizoram, and Marketing of Agriculture and Allied Commodities in North East India. Dr. Thanga is also involved in several state level committees. Currently, he is an Expert Member of the State Planning Board, and a Member of NLUP Implementing Board and Expert Group of State Account Statistics, Government of Mizoram.
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
List of Tables and Figures
Location Maps
1. Introduction
2 Dynamics of Land Tenure System
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Land Tenure System in the Traditional Mizo Society
2.3. Institutional Change in Land Tenure System
2.4. Transition from Jhum to Settled Cultivation
2.5. Land Use Change in Mizoram
2.6. Concluding Notes
3. Emergence of Land Use Policies
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Garden Colony
3.3. Concept of NLUP
3.4. Implementation of NLUP during 1984-87
3.5. Physical and Financial Achievement of NLUP (1984-87)
3.6. Critical Evaluation of NLUP (1984-1987)
3.7. Jhum Control Project
3.8. Conclusion
4. Revival of Nlup in Mizoram in 1991
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Operational Guidelines and Procedure
4.3. Main and Subsidiary Trades under NLUP
4.4. Progress of the Implementation
4.5. Analysis of Sectoral Distribution of Beneficiaries
4.6. Assessment of NLUP (1991-97)
4.7. Concluding Observations
5. Mizoram Intodelhna Project (Project for Self-Sufficiency in Mizoram)
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Main Objectives of the Programme
5.3. Targeted Families
5.4. Authorities of the Programme
5.5. Programme Modalities
5.6. Progress of the Implementation
5.7. Notes of Evaluation
6. Comprehensive New Land Use Policy, 2011: An Outline of
the Implementation Framework
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Objectives and Target Groups
6.3. Funding Pattern of NLUP
6.4. Financial and Physical Targets for Various Activities
6.5. Organisational Structures of Project Management
6.6. Selection of Beneficiaries and Allocation of Trades
6.7. Delivery of Assistance
6.8. Approach to Land Use Planning
6.9. Marketing Policy
6.10. Project Monitoring
6.11. Concluding Note
7. Progress and Achievement of NLUP 2011
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Component Wise Fund Allocation
7.3. Financial Achievement
7.4. Physical Achievement
7.5. NLUP Convergence Scheme
7.6. Input Supply Chain under NLUP
7.7. Infrastructure Development under NLUP
7.8. Captive Farming
7.9. Collaboration with UN Agencies
7.10. Concluding Note
8. Review of NLUP 2011
8.1. Background
8.2. Macroeconomic View
8.3. Beneficiary Performances
8.4. Critical Gaps in Project Implementation
8.5. The Way Forward
References
Index