With reference to land reforms in independent India, which one of the following statements is correct?

The land reforms implemented in independent India had multiple objectives, but a primary and overarching goal was indeed to address the acute issue of landlessness and rural poverty by redistributing agricultural land. This included the abolition of zamindari and other intermediary systems, consolidation of landholdings, and the imposition of land ceilings. The aim of land ceilings, for instance, was to acquire surplus land from large landowners for distribution among landless labourers and marginal farmers, directly supporting the objective stated in option B.

Option A is incorrect because ceiling laws were primarily aimed at limiting individual landholdings, although some later amendments might have considered family holdings. Option C is incorrect as land reforms aimed at equitable distribution and increased productivity, not specifically promoting cash crops as a predominant form of cultivation. Cultivation patterns are influenced by various economic and agricultural factors. Option D is incorrect because land reforms did include exemptions to ceiling limits for certain categories of land, such as plantations or specialized farms, which often diluted their effectiveness.