'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎97r] (55/132)

b 1023—6
1903
-1909.]
REVENUE AND RENT-PAYING CLASSES.
n
Chap. II.
administra
tion OP THE
LAND.
The system of leasing estates contemplated in Government Resolution No. 3631, dated
a aril 1906, is gaining strength. There were 176 leases in Dhandhuka, 68 in Yiramgdm, AJ ~
g| Da nd 8 in Dholka, 6 in Panintij, 4 in Gogha and 5 in Thdsra taluka; in all, 288 during Leasos -
21 m
the year
were
« Annlications for permission to borrow money under section 31 of the T&lukddri Act Loans.
Granted to the extent of Rs. 3,29,024.
&
7 Thirteen partition cases were pending at the commencement of the year, of which 9 Partition cases.
. e disposed of. No new applications were received during the year.
g The detailed survey of talukddri villages in the Ahmedabad district and the Panch Survey and
VT kal's was continued during the year. Measurement work was done in 55 tdlukdari villages settlement '
f Dhandhuka taluka, 11 of Dohad tdluka and 14 of Jhalod Mahdl during the year. Classifi-
ot ,. wor h wa s completed in the t4lukd£ri villages of the Viramgam tdluka and 36 villages
of I)ohad during the year under report.
2.—Incumbered Estates, Sind.
1 . There was one estate under the management of the Collector of Karachi during the Estates under tlie
V e?r *The balance to the credit of the estate at the commencement of the year was Rs. 4,310, management of
and receipts amounted to Rs. 11,724. The miscellaneous expenditure was Rs. 10,881, which, 1)lstrict 0fficcr3,
with Rs. 854 paid towards the liquidation of private debts, left a closing balance of Rs. 4,299.
In the estate under the management of the Collector of Larkana, receipts amounted to
]$s 11,528 and the previous year's balance was Ks. 8,575. Including Rs. 7,307 paid in
liquidation of private debts, expenditure aggregated Rs. 17,832, leaving a closing balance of
Rs. 2 271. There was one estate under the management of the Collector of Sukkur. The
balance from the preceding year was Rs. 7,978 and the receipts Rs. 44,414. Expenditure
amounted to Rs. 46,980 and the closing balance was Rs. 5,412.
2. The number of estates under the Manager, Incumbered Estates in Sind, at the Estates under the
commencement of the year was 342. Twenty-nine new estates were taken under management Numbered Estates,
and 64 relinquished, leaving 307 at the close of the year.. The receipts amounted to Rs. 9,10,050
and the opening balance was Rs. 1,65,225. Including Rs. 2,25,486 paid in liquidation of
debts, expenditure amounted to Rs. 9,44,138, leaving a closing balance of Rs. 1,31,137. The
amount due to Government on account of loans was Rs. 11,0/5 at the close of the year, while
Rs. 1,01,700 remained due on account of private loans.
5. Revenue and Rent-paying Classes.
1. The season was on the whole fair in Gujarat, the West Deccan and the Konkan, but Revenue-paying
poor in the East Deccan and the Karnatak. Relief works were opened in the Baddmi Taluka classes *
of f>ijd ur, and in Dhdrwar two works of special repairs to roads were conducted on famine
wages by the Public Works Department from February until March, while a quasi-test work
was started by tbe Irrigation Department during the same months. In other districts even
where the season was least favourable no distress became apparent Earge suspensions of land
revenue and some remissions of land and irrigation revenue afforded ail necessary re.ief to
the affected tracts, and in some parts tag<lvi was employed for the same purp.se. The usual
migration in search of work did much to render agriculturists independent of assistance.
In th Piv* idency generally the season resulted in an appreciable improvement m the condition
of the revenue-paying population, and considerably larger recoveries of laud revenue
accordingly became possible in almost all districts except those of the Karnatak. The early
ann >unce ent of suspensions where required facilitated collections, and owing to the prevailing
high prices cash was fairly plentiful even where the outturn wes below the normal. Con-
tumacy was seldom noticeable except as a result of the liberal treatment received in previous
years. The scope of the Deccan Agriculturists' Relief iAct was further extended during the
year by the appointment of conciliators in many districts. It is generally admitted that
the effect of the Act has been to restrict the creiit of cultivators, but there is no evidence that
money really required fo^agriculture is excessively difficult to raise ; and the fact, that savkars
are more discriminating in giving out loans, appears to be producing a favourable effect upon
the thrifc and independence of agriculturists. As an incidental result of the Act it is notice
in several districts that savkars are themselves taking to agriculture. Generally there are
indications that people are learning to adapt themselves to the Act and will do so still
more as recourse to tagavi and co-operative credit societies becomes more popular.
2. There is considerable evidence that the influence of custom, as a ruling^factor in the Rent-paving-
relations between landlord and tenant, is gradually yielding to new conditions. J-he attractive c a ~ sc •
wages of non-agricultural labour offer to the tenant an alternative which the landlord cannot
afford to neglect. The increasing habit of leaving home during the slack season to find work
in the big centres not only renders the tenant class more independent but weakens the ties or
locality. Moreover, in several districts of Gujardt the lower classes of agriculturists are beginning
to acquire land for themselves on the restricted tenure, while the patiddrs find it difficult
to make an income from their holdings and rents have generally fallen. Influences such as
these no doubt account for the increasing commonness of a division of produce between