What were the main provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950?
The Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 aimed at abolishing the zamindari system in Uttar Pradesh. The main provisions of this act include:

1. Abolition of intermediary tenures: The act sought to eliminate the position of zamindars and other intermediaries who held land on behalf of the state but had no direct involvement in agricultural activities.
2. Tenants' rights: The act provided protection and security of tenure to cultivating tenants, giving them a right to the land they tilled. This ensured that they could not be evicted without cause or proper compensation.
3. Land consolidation: The act facilitated the consolidation of scattered holdings into contiguous plots, which was beneficial for efficient agricultural management and increased productivity.
4. Ceiling on land holdings: The act imposed a limit on the amount of land an individual could own, with any excess land to be redistributed among landless laborers or small farmers. This was intended to promote social equity and reduce concentration of land ownership.
5. Land revenue reforms: The act introduced new methods for determining land revenue assessments, which were based on the actual productivity of the land rather than historical rates. This aimed at providing fair compensation to the state while ensuring that the burden of taxation did not fall disproportionately on small farmers.