'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904' [‎95r] (77/112)

3D gWt tw ,
year, Tl'
ol, ■ Lhls ^ J
ider
Bs.
34
3 ^25,423
(®) *'j34,550
8,38,821
3,37,762
13,71,854
( l ) 6,65,398
26,142
2,28,803
1903-1904.] iruigAtion. 53 Chap. IV.
PRODUCTION
^ AND
Deccan and Gujarat. distribution.
Northern Division*
The area irrigated from the Hdthmati Canal was 1,294 acres as compared with 287 acres Ahmedabad District,
in the previous year and 134 acres in the year before. The increase in the irrigated area ^ ana b
was due to the supply of water again approaching the normal after a series of years of
short supply.
2,985 acres were irrigated from the Khdri Cut against 1,098 acres in the previous year. KMri Cut Canal.
Special repairs to the masonry outlets of the Chandola Tank were • completed at a cost of
Rs. 2,531 and Rs. 900 were spent on strengthening the bank of the Chandola feeder
above Lali Bridge. A sum of Rs. 39,567 was paid for land compensation in connection
with the Khari Cut Extension Scheme of which Rs. 28,376 was on account of the land
acquired for the Bokh Reservoir.
The Khari sluices were maintained at a cost of Rs. 1,897 and Rs. 1,542 were spent on Khari Sluices,
minor works and special repairs. A prolific weed, called locally Gha Bajeria which grew up
during the famine years choking the Khari river and impeding its flow, was partly removed
at a cost of Rs. 1,013. This work is still in progress.
Rs. 2,877 were spent on improving 2 tanks and Rs. 9,171 on repairing 11 small tanks. Tanks.
A scheme for the gradual improvement of all the old tanks is under consideration.
y . .
The Tranza, Wangroli and Goblaj tank works were in progress and Rs. 25,607, Kaira and Panch
Rs. 23,544 and Rs. 34,929 respectively were spent. The Goblaj tank filled in the monsoon Mahals District,
of 1903 and was instrumental in maturing and saving nearly 3,000 acres of rice under the
Khari Sluices. The work of completing the Muwalia Tank and right bank canal was in
progress and Rs. 7,758 were expended. A sum of Rs. 1,03,012 was paid as compensation
for the land acquired in connection with 9 tanks, while Rs. 3,737 were spent on improving
3 and Rs. 5,792 on repairing 8 tanks.
The Karamsad Drainage, which was in progress in the previous year, was completed
at a cost of Rs. 32,407. To protect the villages of Kanjri and Wadtal from floods, two
protective banks were thrown along the drainage channel of the Karamsad drain at a cost
^ of Rs. 4,182.
The Asarsa and Hansot Reclamation works were completed at a cost of Rs. 14,680 and Surat and Broach
Rs. 11,433 respectively. District.
A sum 0 f Rs. 1,659 was spent in diverting the Kolawna Itola Channel.
Twenty-four irrigation tanks were repaired and 1 was improved at a total cost of
9?637 Rs. 25,103 of which Rs. 100 were contributed by the ryots concerned.
Centred division.
On the Nira Canal, the new works carried out duriag the year consisted of raising the Protective Works,
banks of certain distributaries, widening the section, and building new bridges in places. The Nira Canal *
capital outlay of the year was Rs. 5,680 and the expenditure on maintenance and repairs
Rs. 23,862. The area irrigated was kharif 16,005 acres, rabi 14,633 acres, total 30,638 acres
against 45,961 acres the average of the three years ending 1902-1903. The monsoon was
satisfactory and the rainfall was ample for the dry crops. The early rabi rainfall being also
plentiful, the cultivators did not require water for any large area of rabi crops. The demand
for all crops ordinarily dependent on rainfall was therefore abnormally low. The operations
of the year resulted in a net assessed revenue of Rs. 1,70,713 which is equivalent to 2*99 per
cent, on the total capital outlay. The corresponding revenue and percentage in the previous
year were Rs. 1,69,388 and 2*98 respectively. The area of perennial crops irrigated was
8,587 acres and the revenue derived therefrom Rs. 1,80,097, the figures under both heads being
the highest on record. This result, notwithstanding a contraction of area caused by favour
able rainfall, is due to the extension of sugarcane cultivation in general and a special exten
sion of water-supply to immature crops (adsall) beyond the 12 months allowed. The year's
results emphasize the conclusions of the Irrigation Commission that neither cultivators nor
Government can expect to derive the utmost benefit possible from the canal unless crops
for which there is demand both in good seasons and bad are specially encouraged. An
important step was taken in this direction by the orders passed in Government Resolution
No. W.I.-2894 of 17th December 1903 for introducing the block system on the Nira Canal.
Preparations for introducing the block system were begun in February 1904. The object
Bs> of the system is to locate the irrigation in each village for a term of years in selected
4)9 54 areas, so that instead of being scattered and shifting as at present it may be concentrated
18) 735 in blocks and treated as more or less permanent. At the same time the system will enable
canal water to be economically utilized and the benefits of irrigation equitably distributed
over a larger number of villages than at present.
b 910—14
md Total ...
d.
Total.
.
Es
85,028
98,586
18,1
65,458
12,10
65,831
1,553
36,456
M