Understanding the Socio-Economic Situation & Deprivation of Marginal Farmers in Peri-Urban Delhi

Abstract

An overwhelming proportion of farmers in India are small or marginal. These two farm size group also account for a large proportion of the total farm land. However in most of the states their share in total operated area is less than forty percent. As a result inequalities in land ownership and socio-economic status remain quite large but the situation of these inequalities is not uniform across India. The land dynamics is quite different in Peri-urban areas. Peri-urban areas have received influx of money, migrant worker, and private development. Therefore it can be hypothesized that the socio-economic status of small and marginal farmer is better near the core of the urban growth centre. This paper looks into the socio-economic situation of farmers and traces the level of deprivation in terms of possession of material well-being.