The correct answer is: d) All of the above.
The zamindari system was a system of land tenure in India under which a small number of landlords, known as zamindars, held large tracts of land from the British East India Company in return for a fixed annual payment. The zamindars were responsible for collecting taxes from the peasants who worked the land, and they often exploited their tenants by charging high rents and taking a share of their crops.
After India gained independence in 1947, the government abolished the zamindari system in order to redistribute land to the tillers, reduce economic inequality, and modernize agriculture. The abolition of the zamindari system was a major step in the process of land reform in India, and it has had a significant impact on the lives of millions of people.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- Redistribute land to the tillers: The zamindari system was a system of absentee landlordism, in which the zamindars did not actually live on the land they owned. This meant that the peasants who worked the land had no security of tenure, and they were often exploited by the zamindars. The abolition of the zamindari system was intended to redistribute land to the tillers, so that they would have a secure right to the land they worked.
- Reduce economic inequality: The zamindari system was a major source of economic inequality in India. The zamindars were a small, wealthy elite, while the peasants who worked the land were often very poor. The abolition of the zamindari system was intended to reduce economic inequality by redistributing land to the tillers.
- Modernize agriculture: The zamindari system was a traditional system of land tenure that was not well-suited to the needs of modern agriculture. The zamindars were often more interested in collecting rents than in improving agricultural productivity. The abolition of the zamindari system was intended to modernize agriculture by giving the tillers a greater incentive to improve productivity.