Unmarried Granddaughters To Finally Get Land Rights In UP

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to grant ancestral property rights to unmarried fatherless granddaughters.

The step would prove to be a major boost to gender equality in the state.

An official spokesperson told the Hindustan Times, "In the UP Revenue Code (Amendment) Bill, 2018, amendments have been made in clauses 108 and 110 in the original act (Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006) to give rights over ancestral land to granddaughters who have lost their fathers."

The UP Chief Minister backed the proposed amendment at a state cabinet meeting recently.

Also: Landmark judgement gives women equal rights in Hindu Undivided Family

Instances which led to the step

The step is a sigh of relief for an umpteen women suffering due to such practices. For instance, in June 2017, The Hindu reported a case in which a village panchayat directed a widow to adopt her nephew, and will her share to him, despite the fact that she had a teenage daughter of her own. The sense of helplessness faced by the teenager was heartbreaking.

"In the UP Revenue Code (Amendment) Bill, 2018, amendments have been made in clauses 108 and 110 in the original act (Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006) to give rights over ancestral land to granddaughters who have lost their fathers." - Official spokesperson

Also: Women Rights India: Where do we stand? What are we to give up yet?

Other problems

A lot has been done and a lot needs to be done in the direction of giving women their land rights. And while women can inherit land, the social structure is such that they seldom exercise their right. The deep-rooted patriarchy keeps women from claiming their rights while doing most of the work. Married women find it hard to inherit farms from their husbands.

We hope this step will help daughters in future generations to get what is rightfully theirs.

ALSO READ: In Jharkhand’s tribal belt, claiming land for women is an uphill task

Picture Credit: thebetterindia.com