REVENUE ADMINISTRATION

LAND RECORDS DEPARTMENT

Introduction.

THE LAND REVENUE SYSTEM PREVALENT IN AMRAVATI DISTRICT is rayatwari and is based on a complete survey, soil classification and settlement of the assessment of every field, except in 21 unsurveyed ex-jagir villages in Melghat tahsil.

The original survey settlements were carried out and completed in the district in the year shown against each taluka.

The 21 unserveyed villages are to be surveyed by the Survey Mamlatdar, Chanda. The revision settlements in the district were carried out during the years mentioned against them.

No revision settlement was carried out in Melghat tahsil. The term of revision settlements has long before expired in all the talukas except Melghat. However, the term of settlements is extended from year to year.

survey

The survey in this district was done with a chain of 33' and cross-staff in all the talukas except that of Melghat. The unit of area is the English acre with its sub-division, the guntha. (121 sq. yds. or 1,089 sq. feet) 40 gunthas making one acre. The area of each survey number, is separately entered in the district, tahsil, and village records under an indicative number while the area of a sub-division is shown in Measurers' records (kept in tahsil for 7 months during the fair season and in the district office for 5 months during the rainy season) and the village records under an indicative number subordinate to that of the survey number of which it forms a part.

The survey in the villages of Melghat taluka was done on the system then current in Central Provinces generally known as "the Betul Plan". All villages except 21 out of 162 were traversed, surveyed and assessed on the basis of the system in vogue in Central Provinces. Full traverse and sub-traverse lines were set up. Permanent traverse stone marks were laid down. There are no tippan books, prati books separately prepared like other talukas in the district. There are no gat books for Pot hissa measurement.

Village, Taluka and District Maps for All Surveyed Villages.

Accurate village maps have been prepared on the stale of 1= 20 chains for all the villages in all the tahsils except that of Melghat where the maps or surveyed villages arc on the scale of 16" = 1 mile. Those maps of former talukas show the survey number and their boundary marks and other topographical details such as roads, nallahs, wells and hills. The village maps of Melghat taluka show the boundaries of Survey number with  traverse and sub-traverse lines fully set up and also with other  topographical details. from these village maps, taluka and district maps were pruned on the scales of 1"=i mile and 1"=  4 miles, respectively. In 1956 the taluka maps were printed on  a scale of 1" = 2 miles showing police stations, weekly market  places, schools, rest-houses, etc.

Gat books showing the maps of the sub-divided survey number to the scale of l"=10 chains or 1" = 5 chains (according to the size of the field) are prepared and kept with the village patwari for each and every village in all the talukas except Melghat. No tipan book or plot book for sub-divisions is maintained in Melghat like other rive talukas.

Classification.

The classification of land was done in all the talukas except that in Melghat similar to that existing in the old Bombay State. The classification in Melghat was done on the basis of the system prevalent in the Central Provinces.

The main classes of land recognised in the five tahsils were Jirayat, Bagayat and Tari (Unirrigated, Irrigated and Rice Land) and each field was classified with reference to the texture of the soil, its depth and deteriorating factors and extra advantages, it any. In the ease of irrigated and rice lands, in addition to the soil factor the water factor was also classified after taking into consideration the duration of the supply and the kind of crops grown. The classification value was expressed m terms of annas.

As regards Melghat taluka the classification was made on the more modern and more accurate soil mapping system of Central Provinces. All land in occupation including land laid out as Kabil Kasht was recognised and named after the local classes of soils. They are as under: -

1. (Gowari - This is found in Dharni tract of Melghat tahsil. Superior deep clay soil, black in colour, it produces rabi crops. It was classed when the depth of the soil exceeded three feet.

2. Kali I. -Typical superior black clay soil as it is, it is free from lime stone and very retentive of moisture. The soil is useful for rabi crops than kharif. The soil was recognised when its depth was not less than two feet.

3. Khali II.-It is a typical black cotton soil. It differs from Kali I, in that it contains stone nodules and more sand. The soil was classed where its depth was not less than l.3/4 feet.

4. Dotmatta.-It is a mixture of clay and loam soils. It was classed where its depth reached a minimum one foot.

5. Balla I.-The red hill soil is known as Balla 1. It has a coarse texture and a minimum depth of 6". This soil often produces astonishingly good cotton and jowar crops.

6. Vall 11.-It is a soil, the depth of which did not exceed 6". Much of this land is hardly cultivable. The soil classification is detailed in the prati books lor all the talukas which are preserved in the districts records, while the information of soil classification for Melghat tahsil is detailed in the settlement mids kept in the District Survey Records with its copy at village level with a patwari.

Settlement and Assessment.

Prior to 1954 the Settlement procedure prescribed under Sections 78 to 105 of Berar Land Revenue Code was applicable to this district. Consequent to the introduction of Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1954, the procedure laid down in Sections 54 to 87 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code was made applicable to the district, so far as lands in non-urban areas were concerned. The procedure is briefly described below:

'Settlement' is defined as the result, of operations conducted in a local area in order to determine to revise the land revenue assessment (Section 55 of Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code). The Settlement Officer (appointed by the State Government) under Section 59 (of Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code) fully examines the past revenue history of the area with a view-to assessing the general effect of the existing incidence of assessment on the economic condition of the area and with reference to the various statistical data and by careful enquiry in villages he collects information required for the revision of assessment.

If the settlement of any local area is to be made a forecast of the probable results of the settlement is to be prepared under the order of State Government under Section 63 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code.

A notice of the intention of the State Government to make settlement together with the proposals based on the forecast is to be published for inviting objections. Such forecast proposals are to be sent to every member of the State Legislative Assembly 21 days before the commencement of the session of the Legislative Assembly. After considering the objections if any and the resolution of the proposals that may be passed by Legislative Assembly, notification of proposed revenue survey under Section 64 is to be issued. The local area notified is held under such survey from the date of notification till another notification for closing the operations is issued.

For the purpose of assessment, the Settlement Officer divides the area ro be settled into groups and in forming such groups he takes into consideration the physical features, agricultural and economic conditions and trade facilities under Section 70 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. The Settlement Officer prepares the proposals of assessment rates of each group and submits them for the approval of State Government, vide Section 73 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. The assessments are so fixed that the increase in fair assessment of an agricultural  holding does not ordinarily exceed 50 per cent of the original. The principles laid down in Section 76 of the Madhya Pradesh  Land Revenue Code arc followed while fixing the fair assessment. Improvements made at the cost of the holders are exempted for the purposes of enhancement of assessment, vide Section 76 (5) of  the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. The announcement of settlement is done by giving a notice under Section 77 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. The assessment finally announced under this Section is the Land Revenue payable annually on such land during the term of settlement unless it is modified in accordance with the provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code or any other law. There is no provision for hearing objections regarding assessment rates or fair assessment in the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. Once the assessment rates are approved by the State Government the Settlement Officer calculates the fair assessment on each holding in accordance with those assessment rates. The term of Settlement is to be fixed by the State Government and it is not to he less than 30 years (section 80 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code). The State Government can reduce during the currency of settlement the assessment, if it finds necessary, after considering the general conditions, for such period as it may deem fit. The term of settlement can be reduced to 20 years by the State Government for special reasons.

For the assessment or reassessment of lands in urban areas, no forecast report is required to be prepared nor is the notification required to be published.

Record-of Rights.

The Record-of-Rights in form 'A' was introduced in the khalsa  villages of all the talukas except that of Melghat taluka, in 1912.  As regards the then Jagir villages it was prepared in the first instance in 1937-38 in the forms B, BB, C, CC, and O (parts A and B). After the abolition of proprietary rights in these villages it was revised in form A (prescribed under Rule 2 of Rules under Section 103 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code) under the supervision of the Record-of-Rights Officer, Berar, in 1957-58. No Record-of-Rights has been introduced in Melghat tahsil as it has been exempted from the provisions of Chapter IX of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code (Section 114). The Berar Land Revenue Code also has exempted this taluka from the preparation of Record-of-Rights (Section 121 of the Berar Land Revenue Code). The Record-of-Rights was being maintained in this district by the Revenue Staff under Section 108 of the Berar Land Revenue Code and the rules framed thereunder. Since 1954 those are being maintained, vide section 103 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code and the rules framed thereunder. The Record-of-Rights contains the following particulars --

(a) The names of holders of land.

(b) The names of occupancy tenants and protected lessees.

(c) The nature and extent of the respective interests of such persons and the conditions of liabilities, if any, attaching thereto.

(d) The rent of land revenue, it any. payable by such person.

(c) Such other particulars as prescribed by the rule under this Section.

Any acquisition of a right in land is to be reported to the village officers by the person acquiring it unless it is registered. Failure to carry out this obligation is punishable under law.

Administrative Set-up.

This district formed part of Madhya Pradesh till 1st November, 1956. There was a separate Survey and Settlement Department for Madhya Pradesh. Now the head of the Land Records Department is Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, Maharashtra State, Poona.

Settlement Commissioner.

The Settlement Commissioner and the Director of Land Records, Maharashtra State, Poona, is the head of the department. He is assisted in his work by the Regional Deputy Directors. The Superintendent of Land Records is the Officer next to the Regional Deputy Director. The jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Land Records, Nagpur, who is responsible to the Regional Deputy Director at Nagpur extends over all the eight districts of the Vidarbha region. Under him are the District Superintendents of Land Records (District Inspectors of Land Records) assisted by the District Assistant Superintendents of Land Records. The District Superintendent and the Assistant District Superintendent are assisted in their work by Measurers, Nazul Maintenance Surveyors (for the District Survey Record Room), Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyors. Revenue Inspectors, Patwaris and Survey Clerks.

District Superintendent of Land Records.

The District Superintendent of Land Records has to supervise and inspect the works of Revenue Inspectors, Patwaris. Measurers, Survey Clerks, Nazul Maintenance Surveyors and Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyors.

He is to arrange for the training of Patwaris and holding of their examinations. He is to see that all Revenue Inspectors under him know their duties. He has also to satisfy himself that the District Survey Records are properly maintained.

The District Superintendent of Land Records is under the immediate control of the Collector and his immediate superior in all matters of leave, allowances and discipline is the Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records. Assistant Superintendent of Land Records works under the supervision of the District Superintendent of Land Records and is otherwise, controlled by the Collector and the Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records in the same way and manner as the District Superintendent of Land Records. He is to assist the District Superintendent of Land Records in all the inspections and office work.

The main duties of the other Land Records officials are as follows:

Revenue inspector- He is to supervise the work of patwaris in his circle and to check the village accounts of all the villages under his charge. He is to detail the defaulters of Government dues and to see that every Patwari has maintained the Register of Records up-to-date and all mutations have been recorded. He has to check the following records prepared by the patwaris: -

(1) Crop Statements, (2) Jamabandi Statements, (3) Boundary Marks Statements, (4) Statement of Live-Stock and Agricultural Implements, and (5) Village Accounts. The circle of Revenue Inspector consists of 70 to 80 villages with an area of 70,000 to 80,000 occupied acres. About 20 patwaris work under him. He keeps close watch over the recovery of Government money by village officials and has to see that all the Government money recovered by them is credited to the Government without delay. He is held responsible if there is any defalcation of Government money by the village officers.

He has to get prepared the Annewari Statements of crops in case of a crop failure. He has to do all the measurement work except ' pot-hissa ' measurement in all the villages in his circle and has to prepare sketches, etc.

Measurers

Measurers- There is a permanent staff of 5 measurers in the district. They are to measure the sub-divisions in their talukas and to work out the areas of the measured sub-divisions. They have to prepare ' Gar Maps ' for the patwaris also.

Survey Clerk.

Survey Clerk.-He has to maintain the district survey records, make corrections in the survey records and issue Kami Jasti Patraks regarding the changes in area and assessment according to orders in revenue cases. He has to issue village and tahsil maps to Government officials and public after due corrections and has to keep account of them. He has to supply tipan utaras to all Revenue Inspectors or Tahsildars in the district. He is directly subordinate to the District Superintendent of Land Records.

Nazul Maintenance Surveyor and Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyor.-Nazul Maintenance Surveyor is responsible for the proper maintenance of the Register of Records of the town maintained by the Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyor. He has to certify the mutations recorded by the Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyor and has to check the base lines and traverse stones in the towns, He has to correct the maps and has to prepare the field books for new changes He has to write the figures of demand of nazul revenue in the demand register. He is directly subordinate to the Nazul Officer.

The main duty of the Assistant Nazul Maintenance Surveyor is to record mutations after due enquiry and to maintain the Register of Records up-to-date. Although they are directly subordinate to the Nazul Officers, they are under the technical and administrative control of the District Superintendent of Land Records and the Superintendent of Land Records, Nagpur Circle, Nagpur.

The patwari is Land Record Official at the village level. He  prepares the original annual records and maintains Record of  Rights and other records concerning land. He is also subordinate  to the Revenue Officer. The charge of the Patwari consists of  3,740 acres. of occupied area, on an average. He maintains the village accounts and helps the patel for recovery of Government  money.

All the measurement work except that of the pot-hissa measurement in the district is carried out by the Revenue Inspectors as mentioned above. A temporary staff of cadastral surveyors is created, nowadays, when the volume of measurement work increases and where it is beyond the scope of the normal staff to take up the work of measurement connected with the land acquisition cases.

District Survey Record Room

The survey records prepared at the time of settlements are kept in the district Survey Records room and one official designated as Survey Clerk is placed in charge of the same. He belongs to the Revenue Department and must possess perfect knowledge of the survey system. The duties of the Survey Clerk have been described above.

Settlement of Nazul Towns.

The settlement of the towns in this district was carried out in the years as shown below: -

The cost of maintenance of town survey is borne by Government, and the municipal committees get four-fifths of the income, except premium, after deducting the expenditure. The village  sites of all the ex-alienated villages, except those of the 21 un- surveyed villages have also been surveyed by the special staff of Record-of-Rights Officer, Berar in 1957-58. These village site surveys are not under regular maintenance. There are also waste site registers at each village in all the talukas except in Melghat taluka in the district.

pot-Hissa Surveyors.

The permanent staff of five pot-hissa surveyors in the district carries out the measurement work of the sub-divisions of survey numbers for keeping the Record of Rights up-to-date. During the monsoons the staff does the office work of cross-checking of the area calculations and prepares new tipan utaras and plots (to the scale) for the next open season. It also prepares and checks the gat maps to be supplied to the patwaris. Prior to the introduction of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, measurement fee of sub-divisions measured was being recovered from the occupants of the sub-divisions concerned, but it is not now being recovered as there is no provision in the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code for such recovery.

Special Schemes,

In addition to the normal duties of the department referred to in the foregoing paragraphs, the Land Records Department is. at present, entrusted with the execution of the following special schemes: -

1. Consolidation of Holdings under the Bombay Preven tion of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947.

2. Cadastral Survey of unsurveyed ex-jagir villages (in Melghat tahsil).

The Assistant Consolidation Officer, Amravati, is the District Officer entrusted with the preparation and execution of the Consolidation of Holdings Scheme. He is a Gazetted Officer of the cadre of District Inspector of Land Records, appointed by the Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records. He is immediately subordinate to the Consolidation Officer, Akola and the Settlement Commissioner. His subordinate staff comprises: (a) 6 Surveyors under one Nimtandar to assist him in the up-to-date measurement of sub-divisions and bringing the Record-of-Rights up-to-date and preparation of the scheme of consolidation and (b) One circle inspector to assist him in the execution of the scheme of consolidation of holdings after confirmation by the Settlement Commissioner or Government as the case may be.

The special staff of the Record-of-Rights Officer, Berar (Yeotmal). has carried out the measurement of sub-divisions, etc., of survey numbers in the surveyed ex-Jagir villages in this district. The measurement and classification work in the 21 unsurveyed ex-Jagir villages which could not be done by this staff will now be done by the Survey Mamlatdar, Chanda. The cost of this work will he borne by the State Government. The traverse survey of villages has been completed and the detailed field-to-field survey is in progress. The work is expected to be completed shortly. The preparation of maps is also in progress. The work of preparation of Record-of-Rights will he taken up soon after the completion or survey, as mentioned above.

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