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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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HOLDINGS
As per 1961 census, 61.19 per cent of the total number of households cultivate land and the remaining 38.81 per cent do not
cultivate any land in the district. Of the cultivating households 87.03 per cent households cultivate lands owned by them, 4.36 per cent cultivate tenanted lands and the remaining 8.61 per cent cultivate lands partly owned and partly taken on lease.
A tahsilwise classification of holdings in Government rayatwari area in the district is given in the following table: —
TABLE No. 7
STATEMENT OF HOLDINGS IN GOVERNMENT RAYATWARI AREA IN CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 1963.
| Chandrapur | Warora | Brahmapuri | Gadhchiroli | Sironcha | Rajura | Land holders | Area | Land holders | Area | Land holders | Area | Land holders | Area | Land holders | Area | Land holders | Area | (1) | (2) Total | (3) | (4) Total | (5) | (6) Total | (7) | (8) Total | (9) | (10) Total | (11) | (12) Total | (13) | Up to 5 acres |
50,045 | 15,929 | -- | 21,008 | -- | 41,419 | -- | 27,969 | -- | 16,608 | -- | 1,576 |
5 to 10 acres | 14,435 | -- | 12,791 | -- | 10,991 | -- | 10,879 | -- | 4,944 | -- | 3,099 | 10 to 20 acres | 6,957 | 50,261 | 10,012 | 56,334 | 1,328 | 50,179 | 5,816 | 26,391 | 2,758 | 12,284 | 5,488 | 20 to 50 acres | 3,303 | -- | 4,702 | -- | 477 | -- | 2,059 | -- | 1,441 | -- | 3,041 | 50 acres and above | 17,123 | -- | 75,380 | -- | 11,489 | -- | 19,432 | -- | 6,580 | -- | 8,445 |
Ceiling on Holdings of Agricultural Land.
The Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961, was applied to the district from January 26, 1962. Accordingly four local areas, viz., Warora, Chandrapur, Gadhchiroli and Rajura have been notified and ceiling areas for dry crop land in every such area have been fixed at 43.706 hectares (108 acres), 46.134 hectares (114 acres), 50.990 hectares (126 acres) and 50.990 hectares (126 acres), respectively. In the case of irrigated lands, the ceiling area is the same in all the four local areas, viz., 7.284 hectares (18 acres) in the case of perennially irrigated areas, 10.926 hectares (27 acres) in areas irrigated in two seasons and 19.426 hectares (48 acres) in areas which get irrigation water for one season only. The holders of land in excess of the ceiling areas are not allowed either to transfer or partition any land
untill the excess of it is determined under the Act. The excess lands are ultimately vested in the State Government which in return as stated in the Act makes provision
for payment of compensation to the holders. Such lands are then distributed to landless or other persons in the prescribed order of priority.
Consolidation of Holdings.
Of the various measures adopted towards land reform after Independence the introduction of the Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947 assumes great importance. The legislation was aimed against the division and sub-division of the agricultural land into small fragments which were scattered all over and also prohibited cultivators from carrying out permanent improvements on such land. These distinctive features of the agricultural economy very often caused unnecessary disputes over boundaries and involved litigation. They also made it difficult for the cultivator to protect the crop. It was, therefore, necessary to bring the scattered holdings together into compact blocks with a view-to improving agriculture and establishing, as far as possible, economic units of cultivation. To ensure the overall success of such a measure it was also essential to take simultaneous steps to prevent further sub-division as well as fragmentation of the existing plots of land. The scheme of consolidation, therefore, envisages consolidation of existing fragments into standard areas and the prevention of fragmentation of land.
The standard areas specified as minimum necessary for profitable cultivation under the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947 are as follows:—
(i) Dry crop lands.—809 hectares (2.0 acres), (ii) Rice lands.—.405 hectares (1.0 acre) and (iii) Bagait lands.—.202 hectares (0.5 acre).
All plots of land below the standard area are treated as fragments and their transfer, except to holders of contiguous plots, is prohibited.
The abovementioned Act was made applicable to the
Vidarbha region from April 1st, 1959. Accordingly, the office
of the Assistant Consolidation Officer was established at
Chandrapur on 4th April 1960. To start with, the officer was
instructed to draft schemes of consolidation of holdings in
Chandrapur tahsil only. Subsequently in 1963 three more
Assistant Consolidation Officers were appointed. They started
the work of consolidation in Warora, Brahmapuri and Gadhchiroli tahsils. Since the establishment of the offices of the
Assistant Consolidation Officers in the district, considerable
progress was achieved in consolidation work. This is shown in
the following table: —
TABLE No. 8
STATEMENT SHOWING THE PROGRESS OF CONSOLIDATION WORK IN CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT, 1967.
|
Tahsil |
No. of villages completed |
Area covered (in hectares) |
No. of khate-dars |
No. of holdings before consolidation scheme |
No. of blocks after consolidation of holdings |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
Chandrapur |
52 |
17,044.565 (42,118)* |
4,505 |
14,116 |
10,738 |
|
Warora |
42 |
18,893.170 (46,686) |
4,080 |
9,530 |
7,603 |
|
Brahmapuri |
82 |
29,351.875 (72,530) |
10,842 |
29,585 |
20,557 |
|
Gadhchiroli |
14 |
5,432.505 (13,424) |
1,514 |
5,312 |
3,117 |
|
Total |
190 |
70,722.116 (1,74,758) |
20,941 |
58,543 |
42,015 |
* Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.
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