When was the Maharashtra Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1961 enacted and what were its key provisions?
The Maharashtra Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1961 was enacted with the key provisions to restrict and regulate the concentration of land in the hands of a few individuals. It aimed to prevent monopoly by putting a cap on the amount of land an individual could hold, thereby promoting equitable distribution of land resources. The main provisions included setting a maximum limit for holding agricultural land, exempting certain categories of landholders from this limit, and providing for the acquisition of surplus land above the prescribed limit to distribute it among the landless and the needy.