AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

HOLDINGS

The size of land-holding is an important factor in stepping up agricultural production. Generally the larger size of an agricultural holding enables the cultivator to carry on the work of large improvements on land. Moreover, such holdings save time and labour in moving bullocks and implements from one plot to another, help in keeping careful watch over the crops and also in reducing the land disputes regarding boundaries etc. However, the problem at present is more of sub-division and fragmentation than of anything else. The land in the district as elsewhere in the State has been divided into small scattered fragments owing to pressure of population on land and equally due to the customary laws of inheritance. The agricultural holdings in the last quarter of 19th Century were comparatively quite large. The old Gazetteer of the district has the following to say about agricultural holdings:—

" More than one hundred acres is a large holding, fifty to one hundred a middle-sized holding, and less than fifty a small holding. In 1882-83, including alienated lands, the total number of holdings was 1,61,107 with an average of about fifteen acres. Of the whole number, 43,404 were holdings of not more than five acres, 22,723 of six to ten acres, 52,079 of eleven to twenty acres, 29,500 of twenty-one to thirty acres, 7,581 of thirty-one to forty acres, 1,731 of forty-one to fifty acres, 2,995 of fifty-one to 100 acres, 908 of 101 to 200 acres, 111 of 201 to 300 acres, twenty-seven of 301 to 400 acres and forty-eight above 400 acres. The small holdings are chiefly in Akola. Of holdings above 100 acres 508 are found in Kopargaon, 490 in Shrigonda, thirty all of them above 400 acres in Newasa, seven in Parner, seven in Akola, three in Karjat, and two in Rahuri. Middle-sized and small holdings are generally owned by Hindus while large holdings are owned by Hindus as well as Musalmans and Parsis, who either cultivate them themselves or sub-let them." [Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Ahmadnagar District, 1884, Vol. XVII,] Table No. 3 gives details of holdings in Ahmadnagar district in 1882-83.

The average size of agricultural holding in the district in 1960-61 was 17 acres. The average size of the ownership holding was 16.54 acres in 1952-53 against the average of 11.95 acres for the State. It was, therefore, felt necessary to introduce some reformative measures for making agriculture more profitable and economic. Such measures came in force especially after Independence. Now almost all traditional forms of tenures have been abolished. Amongst the land reforms the consolidation of holdings and the ceiling on holdings of agricultural

TABLE No. 3—AHMADNAGAR HOLDINGS, 1882-83

[Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. XVII, Ahmadnagar, 1884, p. 244.]

continued..

land proved more revolutionary in making the small and scattered holdings of land into profitable and economic units of cultivation.

The provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947, were applied to the district in 1949 and accordingly the work was started in Shrirampur, Kopargaon, Ahmadnagar, Nevasa and Shrigonda talukas. Under this scheme the small and scattered fragments of land are mutually exchanged following the procedure laid down in the Act. The standard area specified as minimum necessary for profitable cultivation in the district under the Act is one acre for dry crop lands and 0.5 acre for bagait lands. All plots of land less than the standard area are treated as fragments and their transfer except to holders of contiguous plots is prohibited. The following statement shows the work completed in this behalf up to the end of March 1963:—

The Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act came in force from 26th January 1962. Two local areas, viz., Sangamner consisting of Sangamner and Akola talukas and Ahmadnagar consisting of the rest of the district have been notified. Under the Act 96 and 108 acres have been declared as the ceiling limit for dry crop land for the above two local areas, respectively. In the case of perennially-irrigated areas the ceiling area for both the local areas is the same, viz., 18 acres. In areas which get irrigation water for one season and those which get it for two seasons the ceiling areas for both the local areas are fixed at 27 acres and 48 acres, respectively. [The ceiling limit has been reduced in case of all types of land under an enactment of the State Government in 1972.] The holders of land in excess of these limits cannot partition any land until the land in excess of the ceiling is determined under the Act. Ultimately such excess land shall vest in the State Government and it would be distributed in the prescribed order of priority to landless and other persons.

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