Kodanda Reddy recalls Indira Gandhi’s land reforms at National Statistics Day event

Chairman of the Telangana State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission M. Kodanda Reddy pointed out that marginal farmer holdings rose from 51% to 67% by 2010–11, while large landholdings declined from 4% to 1%, illustrating the statistical outcomes of the land reforms introduced by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The C.R. Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science (AIMSCS), Hyderabad, commemorated National Statistics Day on Monday to mark the birth anniversary of renowned statistician Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.

Mr. Reddy highlighted the transformative impact of Indira Gandhi’s land reforms and the Green Revolution, recalling that India once depended on grain imports, including red jowar — often used as cattle feed elsewhere. He said the abolition of the zamindari system and land redistribution based on fertility thresholds enabled the country to achieve food security and become a food exporter.

Drawing a connection between past reforms and present achievements, Mr. Reddy said Telangana’s current agricultural output — 277 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from 127 lakh acres — is rooted in those earlier policy shifts. He noted that a significant share of cultivation is supported by groundwater sources, further demonstrating the long-term effect of data-driven planning.

He expressed concern over the growing lack of financial discipline, particularly in political spending, pointing to the exponential rise in election expenditures. Mr. Reddy urged greater public awareness of financial planning and statistics, calling for wider observance of National Statistics Day and increased media attention to such critical discussions.

Former Rural Electrification Corporation Chairman and former IAS officer M. Gopalakrishna spoke on the vital role of statistics in effective governance. He highlighted the importance of robust data collection, analysis and interpretation in enabling informed policymaking.

Dr. Yugandhar Garu, Chief Executive of AIMSCS and Prof. Appala Naidu Tentu attended the event.