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This volume, as a pioneering piece of empirical work is unique in the studies of Gender and land issues. In a patrilinial base Women have always remained at the back bench. One of the major reasons for this is that they are debarred from the right of having their share of landed properties either from their paternal side or from the side of their affinal kins. This, of course, has widened the gender gap and theirby led women to be subordinate and subservient to their male counterparts. India is a welfare state and as such with a view to providing equal rights to women on posession of land, it has recently introduced Joint Patta Act by which both the spouses would legally have equal rights over a piece of land given gratis to the Poor beneficiaries. Moreover, it has also revitalized the Hindu Succession Act 1956 in the present context. But is the motto achieved? It is, certainly a great question. To unfold the reality, this volume makes a comparison between ST and Non-ST households of two Districts; one tribal dominated and the other one dominated by the Non-ST population. It has dealt with paternal land ownership system between Men and women in simple and Complex Societies of these two districts and also finds out the Knowledge base and exercise of Joint Patta and Rights on Hindu Succession Act 1956. This book will be useful to the academicians, researches, administrators, Civil societies, students of Higher education, and all those who are interested in this type of study. About the Author P.K. Acharya (6 1957), after obtaining M.Sc. degree in Anthropology from Utkal University, Orissa, did his doctoral work in Ranchi University in 1994. As a versatile Teacher in the subject he taught indifferent government colleges of the state for 18 years, i.e. from 1981-1998 and thereafter joined NKC Centre for Development Studies, Orissa, (An ICSSR Institute) as a Reader. At the same time he is an active member of the National Plan Appraisal Board, Govt. of India for SSA and MDM programmes. Moreover, he is also rendering his service to the Govt. of India as the National Resource Person for these two important programmes. He is also the chief of the State Monitoring Team, Orissa, for SSA and MDM. He has authored two Books and contributed about 50 papers to different referred journals. Apart from this he has also directed more than 20 Research projects and authored the reports. His areas of Interest include: education, Nutrition and development Anthropology. R.P. Mohanty, (b. 1963) has received his M.A., M. Phil, and Ph.D. degrees in anthropology from Utkal University, Orissa. He has contributed a total number of 67 research papers to various journals, edited books, encyclopedias, Ethnographic Atlases etc. and authored 11 books including this one. His earlier books are concerned to the problems of Dalits and their development, social situation of elderly Population in the changing societal scenario, Gender issues in simple and Complex societies, Family welfare and Adoption of contraceptives, problems of street Children in growing Urban centres, in situ development of hill swiddeners etc. so far he has contributed his expertise to a total number of 30 research projects and authored 21 research project reports. He has been the chief research consultant for 4 major projects of Govt. of India. His pioneering work is concerned to the Bonda Highlanders, the most primitive and fierce tribal community of Eastern India. For, he has been conferred with a Professional international award in the year of 2001. Presently he is based at Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies, Orissa, and engaged in finding out the problems of the spastics. His areas of interest include: problems and development of ST and SC communities, current social problems, ethnographic studies, Caste studies, education, displacement and rehabilitation, in situ rehabilitation of hill swiddeners, peasant Economy etc.