Social structures influence land ownership as well.

Rural India’s Land Divide: 10% Families Own 44% Farmland, Nearly Half Landless

Recent research highlights significant land inequality in rural India. According to the study titled Land Inequality in India: Nature, History, and Markets, the top ten percent of rural families hold 44 percent of agricultural land, while 46 percent of families are entirely landless. The report analyzed data from approximately 65 crore people across 2.7 lakh villages.

At the rural level, the top five percent of families own 32 percent of farmland, and the top one percent control 18 percent. In an average village, the largest landowner holds around 12 percent of the land, though in some villages a single individual controls more than half of the agricultural area.

Land inequality varies widely across states, with differences comparable to disparities observed between countries globally. Regions with favorable agricultural conditions show higher levels of land concentration. Historical factors also play a role: areas under direct British administration exhibit relatively higher inequality, while regions formerly governed by princely states show lower levels.

Social structures influence land ownership as well. Villages with larger populations of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes experience higher landlessness. However, states such as Kerala and West Bengal, which were governed by left-leaning administrations for extended periods, display lower concentrations of land inequality.

The study also finds that improved market access and infrastructure have not fully eliminated these disparities. On average, rural land inequality, measured by the gini coefficient, reaches 71 when landless families are included. The report underscores the ongoing challenges of equitable land distribution in rural India.