44% agricultural land in Telangana now owned by BCs: Survey

HYDERABAD: Eight years after Telangana was formed, Backward Classes have emerged on top in owning agricultural land in the state.
A recent survey by the Rythu Swarajya Vedika (RSV) has revealed that 44% of agriculture land in Telangana is now owned by BCs, followed by forward castes (FCs) who own 43% of farmland. According to the survey, the BCs bought the land from other castes (OCs) and are now proud owners of agriculture landholdings.

However, only 26% of land owners are cultivating while rest are into private work, government jobs or business, the survey said.
Kiran Kumar Vissa of RSV, a confederation of farmers' associations, said: "In our survey, it has emerged that 49% of leased land is also held by BCs, 33% by FCs, 10% by SCs and 7% by STs and minorities."
RSV covered 2,753 tenant farmer families in 20 districts of Telangana as part of the survey. The families, who took land on lease and cultivated, have gone on to own the land after purchasing it from the original owners, the survey said.
Kiran Kumar said: "Half of the people in cities and abroad have nothing to do with villages or agriculture. They buy land and rent it out for investment."
BC leader and Rajya Sabha MP R Krishnaiah said a majority of Munnuru Kapus own land in Nizamabad, Adilabad and Karimnagar, while Yadava, Golla and Kuruma communities own landholdings in Sangareddy and Medak. Gouds own land in Nalgonda and Warangal districts. "Munnuru Kapus, Yadavas, Gollas, Kurumas and Gouds among BCs own the majority agriculture landholdings," he explained.
At least 72% of land ownership is with men, 10% is with women while 18% is jointly held, the survey said.
Krishnaiah attributes the shift in landholding ownership to the Land Ceiling Act, which has brought significant land reforms.
"In Telangana, only 30-35 per cent of farmland was held by BCs till two decades ago. Post-millennium, it has witnessed significant changes. A majority of the OCs sold their land and went abroad as agriculture was not lucrative. Some of them shifted to cities such as Hyderabad. When nobody was willing to take up agriculture, BCs took up farming," he told TOI.
He demanded that both landowners and tenant farmers be given input subsidy under the Rythu Bandhu scheme.
According to the survey, 61% of tenant farmers are BCs, followed by 23% SCs, 10% STs and 4% OCs.