Land Tenure Systems of the Settlement Schemes: A Case Study from the Mahaveli System 'C'

Abstract

Land ownerships and property rights have been of scholarly interest among the contemporary social scientists as an applied research field though out the last half century. Bromley (1989) has distinguished diiTcn:nt property types based on various scheme of land rights and ownership such as common property. state property, individual property and open access. In the analysis of currant situation of land tenure Sri Lanka, His ideas can be certainly be applicable. ln the ancient period the king was the sole custodian of land in the country. Through the elite and general public has the access to till the land under different serves bond. During the course of History, the land ownership pattern has changed manly encompassing privet ownership and state ownership under different tenured arrangement. The British colonial regime has emphasized greatly to shape the present land use and land ownership pattern in the country. The colonial land polices and subsequent state intervention as well has increased population growth have led to major issues such as landlessness fragmentation of land holding low productivity etc. The objective of this study is to examine the processes and structures related with land usc function in a newly developed settlement area. The state sponsored major development project, the Maha\vali Scheme has demarcated in to different development zoon. The System 'C' Mahawali project which is near Mahiyanganaya. Provide and example of mismatch. Settlement population growth and land use. Newly settled farmers in system 'c' are practicing different land use activities as well as hidden tenancy arrangements. There can be seen sum inconsistence of land use according to the experience. The case study of Makulugolla hamlet in block 302 Mahawali System 'C prove that situation witch is contradictory to the assumed situations by the planners. Result of data analysis revealed that some land use practices as well as all agrarian system have been changed. Defined the last to decade land tenure system object to changed of different social economic condition which have not been perceived out migration of youth, unprofitable farming and different on out side work are result of the changed in land use and land ownership. Those who mainly cultivate paddy reserve the marginal income that would not sufficiently maintain a healthy and sound economy. Poverty and indebtedness are ever increasing. The study finally reveals that the settlement of farmers, under a predetermined land ownership and land use plan has not been successful event in the a project, like Mahawali. In conclusion this paper presents that intervention of external forces in to uniform land tenure systems, can change the existing ownership pattern significantly.