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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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HOLDINGS
The size of agricultural holding is very important in the context of productivity of agriculture. A big size of holding facilitates the use of scientific methods of cultivation and optimum production. Uneconomic holdings increase the unit cost of production and of the total yield as well. They are one of the greatest obstacles in the way of mechanisation of agriculture. With the rapid increase in population, aided by the age-old laws of inheritance and succession, the size of personal holding is becoming smaller and smaller due to the sub-division and fragmentation of holdings.
The agricultural holdings in the district are divided into three classes, viz. A, B and C, Class. A comprises persons who cultivate land by themselves with or without the aid of hired labour; class B consists of those who do not cultivate land by themselves but supervise and direct cultivation by farm servants; while class C comprises persons who receive rent from the land but do not participate directly or indirectly in its cultivation. Broadly speaking persons in the first two classes can be styled as cultivators, while those in the last class could be described as non-cultivating owners. The following quinquennial statements (table Nos. 5, 5-A, and 5-B) of holdings for Bhandara district for the year 1969-70, give an idea of the distribution of khalsa lands among the holders in relation to various size groups.
TABLE No. 5
QUINQUENNIAL STATEMENT OF HOLDINGS IN GOVERNMENT RYOTWARI AREA IN BHANDARA TAHSIL,
1969-70.
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class A |
No. of persons |
Class B |
|
Area held
in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
35,822 |
76,909.00 |
-- |
4,152 |
10,524.31 |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
12,409 |
1,05,062.71 |
-- |
3,384 |
31,903.70 |
-- |
|
Over
15 acres, up to 25 acres |
2,116 |
43,072.11 |
-- |
720 |
11,875.60 |
-- |
|
Over
25 acres, up to 100 acres |
770 |
26,882.37 |
-- |
943 |
34,917.22 |
-- |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
1,836.66 |
-- |
TABLE No. 5 -contd.
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class C |
No. of persons |
Total | |
Area held in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
(12) |
(13) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
2,720 |
4,883.23 |
-- |
42,694 |
92,316.54 |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
1,385 |
3,389.09 |
-- |
17,178 |
1,46,355.50 |
-- |
|
Over
15 acres, up to 25 acres |
211 |
3,518.36 |
-- |
3,037 |
58,466.07 |
-- |
|
Over
25 acres, up to 100 acres |
192 |
4,891.57 |
-- |
1,905 |
66,687.16 |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
1,836.66 |
-- |
TABLE No. 5-A
QUINQUENNIAL STATEMENT OF HOLDINGS IN GOVERNMENT RYOTWARI AREA IN SAKOLI TAHSIL, 1969-70.
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class A |
No. of persons |
Class B |
|
Area held in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
54,143 |
1,07,227.23 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
15,631 |
1,23,112.48 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 15 acres, up to 25 acres |
2,884 |
47,591.25 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 25 acres, up to 100 acres |
642 |
15,272.96 |
-- |
1,161 |
1,33,315.84 |
-- |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
TABLE No. 5-A continued
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class C |
No. of persons |
Total |
|
Area held in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
(12) |
(13) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
54,143 |
1,07,227.23 |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
15,631 |
1,23,112.48 |
-- |
|
Over 15 acres, up to 25 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2,884 |
47,591.25 |
-- |
|
Over 25 acres, up to 100 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1,803 |
1,48,588.80 |
-- |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
TABLE No. 5-B
QUINQUENNIAL STATEMENT OF HOLDINGS IN GOVERNMENT RYOTWARI AREA IN GONDIA TAHSIL, 1969-70.
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class A |
No. of persons |
Class B |
|
Area held in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
48,967 |
81,392 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
18,654 |
2,43,621 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 15 acres, up to 25 acres |
953 |
6,828 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 25 acres, up to 100 acres |
272 |
6,018 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
80 |
6,239 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Over 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
TABLE No. 5-B continued
|
Magnitude |
No. of persons |
Class C |
No. of persons |
Total | |
Area held in acres |
Area held in acres |
|
Khalsa |
Inam |
Khalsa |
Inam |
|
(1) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
(12) |
(13) |
|
Up to 5 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
48,967 |
81,392 |
-- |
|
Over 5 acres, up to 15 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
18,654 |
2,43,621 |
-- |
|
Over 15 acres, up to 25 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
953 |
6,828 |
-- |
|
Over 25 acres, up to 100 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
272 |
6,018 |
-- |
|
Over 100 acres, up to 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
80 |
6,239 |
-- |
|
Over 500 acres |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings.—
One of the main factors leading to low agricultural productivity is fragmentation of land into small size of holdings. The growing pressure of population on land and customary laws of inheritance are mainly responsible for the sub-division and fragmentation of holdings. The sub-divided holdings are not only small in size but are scattered. This makes agriculture uneconomic and deprives the cultivator of the advantages of large scale cultivation. It was, therefore, felt necessary by the Government that consolidation of fragmented lands should be fostered through legal enactment. It was also decided that further sub-division of holdings into uneconomic patches should be prevented. The State Government passed an enactment, viz.. the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947, to deal effectively with the situation.
This Act provides for prevention of fragmentation and consolidation of holdings. For this purpose it provides for determination of local standard areas, minimum size of an individual fragment and actual consolidation of holdings. It also provides for prevention of further sub-division of farms which are of less than the standard size. A standard area in respect of any class of land means the area which the Government determines, from time to time as the minimum area necessary for remunerative cultivation in any area in the district. The standard area for different types of lands was fixed in Bhandara district on 14th May 1962, as shown below:—
|
Area in (Acres) | Dry crop |
1.00 | Rice |
0.50 | Garden |
0.50 |
A plot of land smaller than the standard area fixed by this Act is to be treated as a fragment and all such fragments are to be entered in the Record-of-Rights by making an omnibus mutation thereof in it as per section 6 (1) and (2) of the Act. The Act prescribes that fragments must be entered in the Record-of-Rights and other village records. Noting of fragments in Record-of-Rights has not been still done in any of the villages in Gondia division. The necessary instructions in detail regarding noting of fragments in the Record-of-Rights in respect of land falling below the aforesaid prescribed standard areas have been issued to the Tahsildars. The work regarding noting of fragments in Gondia division has been recently started. Where consolidation schemes have been enforced the work of noting the fragments in respect of 262 villages has also been completed before starting the consolidation work there. The matter regarding the penal action to be taken under section 9 (2) and (3) of the Act for transfer or partition of any land contrary to the provision of the Act have been fully considered on 4th September 1969 by the consolidation officers in the district.
Prior to 1960 the work of consolidation schemes was taken up in Bhandara district as per the Madhya Pradesh Consolidation Manual and the consolidation schemes of 50 villages were enforced. During the period from 1956 to 1959, the provisions under section 31 and Rules there under of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947 were made applicable to the said villages.
The Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947, was made applicable to the Bhandara district from 1st February 1960. During the year 1960 two posts of officers, viz., Assistant Consolidation Officer I and II, Bhandara were created and they started their work in February 1960. In view of the expansion of the scheme work in the Fourth Five-Year Plan, three more posts of officers, viz., Assistant Consolidation Officers III, IV and V, Bhandara were created in the year 1966, and they took up their work in July 1966. Thus all these five officers have implemented the consolidation schemes of 257 villages having an area of 2,37,870 acres till 31st March 1969, from three revenue circles, viz., Sakoli, Sadak Arjuni and Lakhan-dur. The target of 55 villages and an area of 68,500 acres was fixed for the year 1969-70. A separate unit for Gondia division consisting of one Consolidation Officer and five Assistant Consolidation Officers was created which started its work from 22nd June 1967, for preparation and enforcement of consolidation of holdings schemes. The jurisdiction of this unit is as shown below: —
|
Designation of officers |
Tahsil |
Circle |
Villages |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
|
(1) Assistant Consolidation Officer I |
Gondia |
Goregaon |
112 |
|
(2) Assistant Consolidation Officer II |
Gondia |
Gondia |
94 |
|
(3) Assistant Consolidation Officer III |
Gondia |
Tiroda |
130 |
|
(4) Assistant Consolidation Officer IV |
Sakoli |
Deori |
154 |
|
(5) Assistant Consolidation Officer V |
Gondia |
Amgaon |
128 |
|
Total |
618 |
The details of the target fixed and target achieved by each of the above officers of Gondia division during the years 1967-68 and 1968-69 are shown below: —
|
1967-68 |
|
Designation of the officers |
Target fixed (in acres) |
Target achieved (in acres) |
(1) Assistant Consolidation Officer I |
7,000 |
6,208 |
(2) Assistant Consolidation Officer II |
7,000 |
12,325 |
(3) Assistant Consolidation Officer III |
7,000 |
8,737 |
(4) Assistant Consolidation Officer IV |
9,000 |
22,470 |
(5) Assistant Consolidation Officer V |
7,000 |
15,254 |
|
Total |
37,000 |
64,994 |
1968-69
|
Designation of the officers |
Target fixed (in acres) |
Target achieved (in acres) | |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) | (1) Assistant Consolidation Officer I |
7,000 |
6,287 | (2) Assistant Consolidation Officer II |
12,000 |
9,231 | (3) Assistant Consolidation Officer III |
8,000 |
8,909 | (4) Assistant Consolidation Officer IV |
21,000 |
27,991 | (5) Assistant Consolidation Officer V |
15,000 |
14,799 |
|
Total |
63,000 |
67,217 |
The number of the villages in which consolidation scheme has been completed and enforced in the Gondia division during 1967-68 and 1968-69 is as shown below: —
|
(1) |
Villages
(2) |
Area (in acres)
(3) |
|
Gondia tahsil |
102 |
1,20,428 |
|
Deori circle (Sakoli tahsil) |
32 |
53,897 |
|
Total |
134 |
1,74,325 |
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