'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1911-1912' [‎335v] (104/259)

Chapter I.
PHYSICAL
AND
POLITICAL.
Civil Divisions of
British Territory.
Northern Division.
Agriculture.
Means of
communication.
64
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[191
l 9l2,
a. More than half the land is held by large proprietors and Mehwdsi chief, .
rivers flow in deep channels, there is not much d ir fct rrs er irrigation, but well ir r i 3 s ^
oractised to a very considerable extent. The Hathmati and Khan Cut can.!., gatl0 » «
k _ rr-i „ a a nf wbirh 17.826 are used for irrlo-afior.
practised to a very consioeraoie calcul. canals serv.L
62,000 acres. There are 23,244 wells, of which 17,826 are used for irrigation. There wS
no addition to the number of tanks excavated by famine abour, but most of the old tank l 6611
now been put into thorough repair by the Public Works Department (Irrigation) \3 ave
iowari and bajri form the staple crops, but pulses and oil-seeds are also sown. Native^’
is sown to a large extent, and rice is cultivated where canal or tank irrigation is available * 011
S. Gogha is connected with Bhavnagar by a good road. A made road also run f
Ahmeddbad south towards Dholka for 23 miles, and another road connects AhmeddbaH •
Bare]a and the road known as the Naika-Bareja road thus giving access to Kaira and Ca
while another leads from Ahmeddbdd to Sanand. In the north, Modasa, Harsol and KamH ^
are connected by metalled roads. The railway from Bombay to Rajputana and Delhi j
through the district and another line runs from Ahmedabad to Viramgam, where it turns ^
to Wadhwan and Bhavnagar, a branch running from Viramgam to the Salt Works at KP -
o-hoda. A branch railway also runs from Viramgam to Mehsana where it connects witX'
Raj put an a-M dl wa Railway. The Ahmeddbdd-Pardntij Railway has been extended to Rh 7
Brahma from Idar. A line runs from Ahmedabdd to Dholka and its extension to Dholer^
under consideration, as is also the extension of the Nadiad-Kapadvanj feeder line to Modi 5
Passengers from the neighbourhood of Broach and Surat come to Gogha in this district and t*
the parts of Kathiawar surrounding it, by sea in sailing boats, some of which ply as
daily ferries in the fair season.
2 .—Kaira.
Population.
Revenue.
Administration.
Agriculture.
Means of
communication.
Population.
Revenue.
1. The population of Kaira has decreased from 716,332 to 691 , 744 . The continuance of
plague, cholera and small-pox have been mainly responsible for the decrease which is less
marked than in the previous ten years. The Lewa and Kadwa Kunbis form the most important
class of cultivators ; they are both industrious and thrifty. . The Thakors retain considerable
estates, but they are still on the whole improvident despite a marked improvement in recent
years as a result of careful official handling. The Kolis who formerly lived by plunder have
settled down and their agricultural ability shows continued improvement. Mussulmans are
chiefly employed in agriculture or in mechanical arts and manufactures, with the exception of
the Bohras, a rich class of Hindu converts to Islam, who live chiefly by trade and have in many
cases close connections with Bombay.
2 . The land revenue amounts to Rs. 20 , 19 , 590 , excise to Rs. 84 , 808 , assessed taxes to
Rs. 36 , 236 , and local fund cess to Rs. 1 , 89 , 943 . The stamp revenue realised at the Kaira
Treasury in 1911-12 (including stamp revenue pertaining to the Panch Mahals District) was
Rs. 1 , 61 , 756 . No income is derived from forests in this district.
•
3 . The district is divided into seven talukas under the administrative charge of an
Assistant and a Deputy Collector. For judicial purposes the district is under the jurisdiction
of the District Court at Ahmedabad. Five Subordinate Judges sit respectively at Kaira, |
Umreth, Nadiad, Borsad and Kapadvanj. The District Superintendent of Police has one ;
Assistant. The Kaira Huzur Treasury serves also the Panch Mahals District.
4 . The chief grain crops are bajri, rice, jowari (used as fodder), tur, kodra and wheat
Cotton and oil-seeds are also being more and more extensively grown, and there is generally a
considerable area under tobacco. The district is one of the most fertile in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. .
5 . There were in 1911 - 12 , 95 miles of metalled road under the control of the District
Local Board, and 90 in the hands of the Provincial Administration. All except the largest
rivers are bridged and at important places where there are no bridges, ferries ply in the
monsoon. The main Iffie of the B. B. & C. I. Railway runs through the district, and branches
run to the Panch Mahals via Rutlam and to Cambay via Petlad, A line connecting this
system with Nadiad and Kapadvanj is under construction, and a branch line from Vasad to
Kathana via Borsad is also projected.
3 .—Panch Maha'ls.
r. Of a population of 322,695 or 200 per square mile the bulk is composed of Bhil and
Koli cultivators. The Naikdas, probably the wildest tribe in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , inhabit the sout em
and eastern portion of the \Vestern Mahals. The other cultivating classes are GhancmSi
Labanas, Rajputs, Kunbis and Ravalas. Labanas and Ravalas are to be found in the
Mahals only. During the last ten years Patidars have come and settled in parts of Halo, _
and Godhra and their number is expected to increase. The Mussalman Ghanchis have
become the most enterprising cultivators and have spread all over the Western Maha s, a
during the last few years they have become great traders also, their principal trade bein 0 j
wood and hides. The Bohras, apart from their money-lending business, do a fair amoun
trade, principally in timber.
2 . The land revenue amounts to Rs, 3 , 47 , 410 , excise to Rs. 1 , 75 , 195 ? assessed taxe ^
I( M57> ^d local fund cess to Rs. 33 , 917 . Forest revenue in 1911-12 realised Ks. $j>