Agrarian Reforms, Modes of Production and Farm Bills 2020 in Punjab

Abstract

In the light of historical developments and the nature of Punjab’s agrarian milieu, this paper examines the latest agrarian intervention proposed by the State- ’Farm Bills 2020’. The paper begins with an analysis current mode of production in Punjab by investigating factors like institutional credit market, land prices, accumulation of capital, input-output ratio, commodification, commercialization, labor functions, and technological modernity. This is followed by a discussion on the historical background of agrarian reforms in Punjab. This discussion attempts to identify causes of proliferation and impacts of Arhtiya class of Intermediaries.

In this way, the present paper seeks to study the nature of the intervention purported by the Farm Bills in terms of its interaction with the transforming social contradictions, and possible implications on the socio-economic framework, rural sociology, and existing agrarian relations in Punjab.