Village Agrarian Relations:
Maharashtra Case Study
THIS CASE STUDY of Saravali village in Dhanu laluka of Maharashtra state reveals a pattern of agrarian relations typical of an underdeveloped society. Underdevelopment does not mean that no change has taken place. In fact three factors have operated to bring about change (but not development): imperialism., the policy of the Indian ruling party, and the work of a political party of the Left. Meanwhile, agrarian relations have taken a turn for the worse.
The methodology used for the study is historical^ for only history can reveal the role of the three factors which have culminated in the present pattern of agrarian relations. Analysis of the present situation is based on a 10 per cent sample survey. Unpublished data of a 100 per cent sample survey conducted by the Agricultural Research Institute of Kosbad was also made use of.
Thana district of which Saravali is a part came under British possession in 1817. There were several types of land tenures under the previous regime. British bureaucracy debated on scrapping some of the privileged tenures in order to introduce a uniform ryotwari system. Since revenue collection and not agrarian development was the basis of British agrarian policy^, no efforts were indeed made to end the privileges granted to certain individuals by the Marathas^ a fact which is incidenta 1