THEJENMIKARAM PAYMENT (ABOLITION) ACT, 1960

The Jenmikaram Payment (Abolition) Act, 1960

This law abolishes the traditional requirement for tenants to pay customary land fees, known as jenmikaram, to landlords across the Travancore region of Kerala. It applies to tenant farmers, private landlords, and public religious or charitable institutions holding land under older tenure arrangements. Under the Act, tenants gain full ownership of their land holdings by paying a fixed compensation amount to the state government in instalments. In turn, the government compensates private landlords through cash or bonds while providing recurring yearly payments to charitable institutions. This reform matters because it dismantled feudal land obligations, empowered agricultural tenants with secure property ownership, and modernized agrarian relations in Kerala.

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