India - Housing Condition and Migration Survey, January - June 1993, NSS 49th Round

Land possessed is given by land owned (including land under `owner like possession) plus land leased in minus land leased out plus land held by the household but neither owned nor leased in (i.e., encroached land). A piece of land is considered to be owned by the household if permanent heritable possession with or without the right to transfer the title is vested in a member or the members of the household. Land held in owner like possession, say, under perpetual lease, hereditary tenure, long term leases for 30 years or more etc., will also be considered as land owned. For a piece of land under the possession of the household, if the household lacks title of ownership and also it does not have lease agreement for the use of land transacted either, verbally or in writing, such land will be considered as “neither owned nor lease-in”. In certain tribal areas, land is possessed by an individual tribal in accordance with traditional tribal rights from local chieftains or village council etc. sometimes the tight of ownership is vested in the community. In all such cases the persons possessing or occupying the land will be considered as the owner. In collecting information regarding land possessed, the actual position as obtained on the date of survey will be considered. It may be noted that the “ area of land possessed” to be recorded against this item should not include the area of land owned, leased-in etc., by the servant/paying guest who are considered as the normal members of the household. For the purpose of recording the land possessed by the household, the area of the land in hectares is to be considered. Once the area is ascertained the appropriate code for the class intervals in which the area falls is to be recorded against this item. Codes