Homestead land allocation and the rural poor a case study of four villages in Haryana

Abstract

The study covers the aspect of minimum house-space requirement for rural households who cannot afford to buy it themselves. For the purpose of understanding the importance of 100 square yard land in the lives of rural poor households, it sets out to explore the implementation of a homestead land allocation program, namely Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna (MGGBY), in the NCR region of Haryana for its particular socio-economic transformational scenario. Minimally, the Homestead Land Allocation (MGGBY) was meant to provide small plots of land to the homeless rural poor to build shelters over their heads- a step towards ensuring that one of their basic human needs is met. However, the microsized plots also were intended to enable BPL families to engage in cost-saving, income-generating secondary economic activities. Optimally, therefore, the program was intended as step towards empowering the poor and bringing about basic transformations in the rural socioeconomic structure. The program has thus been assessed in the study in two different ways: minimalistic and maximalist. The outcomes have been evaluated not only based on material indicators but also from the experiential perspective, primarily focusing on those who are affected by these laws and policies. The study attempted to map the actual outcomes twelve years post implementation among possession-holding allottees (PHAs) and gather personal narratives on socio-cultural challenges, indicating the difficulties faced by eligible below line (BPL) and possession-less BPL allottee households due to non-implementation and non-possession. This qualitative analysis focuses on issues on issues such as caste relation and politics within different institutions at the ground level of program execution. newline