How did the Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 aim to reform land ownership in South India?
The Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 aimed to reform land ownership in South India by abolishing the traditional system of land tenure (zamindari), which was characterized by intermediaries or large landowners who collected revenue from peasants. The Act sought to convert these estates into ryotwari lands, where landholders would own their land and be responsible for paying taxes directly to the government. This reform aimed to give cultivators greater security of tenure and reduce exploitation by intermediaries.