What are the main changes brought by the West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1965 (West Bengal Act 18 of 1965)?
The West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1965 (West Bengal Act 18 of 1965) primarily focused on the distribution of land ownership in the state. It aimed to address social inequality and promote economic growth by ensuring that land was held and utilized more fairly among different socio-economic groups. The main changes brought about by this act included:

1. Land Ceiling Laws: These laws limited the amount of land an individual or family could own, with excess land being redistributed to landless laborers and marginal farmers.

2. Tenancy Reforms: The act sought to protect the rights of tenants, ensuring they had secure land leases and were not subjected to arbitrary eviction by landlords. It also provided for the regulation of rents and security of tenure.

3. Land Consolidation: The act aimed at consolidating scattered holdings into compact blocks for efficient agricultural management.

4. Implementation of cooperative farming practices: To encourage collective farming efforts, the act promoted the formation of agricultural cooperatives to help small-scale farmers pool their resources and improve productivity.

5. Encouragement of landless laborers: The act aimed at providing opportunities for landless laborers to acquire small plots of land through government schemes, thereby reducing poverty and promoting self-sufficiency.