AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

TENURES

The' system inamdari tenure, however, was continued even undenr the British rule for political and administrative purposes. Under this type' of tenure' inam lands we're gifted or grante'd by the Government for meritorious services in the' past or in lieu of or on e:ondition of some' continuing service useful to the government or te) the village community. Such inam lands were held wholly or partially free of land revenue. These inams comprised political or saranjam inams (.1952),[ The figures in brackets indicate the years of abolition of the respective inams.] personal inams (1953), hereditary watan inams (1951), village' servants useful to (a) community (1954); (b) Government patels (1963), mahars (1959). Bhil Naik (1955) and Deostham inams. All these; inams except deosthan inams have now been abolished under various measures of land reform. So also all the' hereditary watan lands for village services have' been abolished and occupancy rights of abolished inam lands have' been conferred on their hohders or tenants, as the case may be, on conditions of payment of occupancy price to the Government and or compensation to the erstwhile holders. These intermediaries between the Government and the actual tillers have been abolished as they were found detrimental to agricultural production and which provided little incentive to the peasantry.

The land tenures now prevalent in the district are the survey or rayatwari tenures and deosthan inams. There are no lands pertaining to non-rayatwari i.e.. talukdari, khoti, udhad jama, mehwasi or kauli, etc. The rayaticari tenure is the most important form of tenure in the district and occupied an area for the revenue year 1957-58 as follows: -

The details of assessment of land revenue in 1957-58 were as under:-

The details of alienated lands were as under: -

In rayatwari tenure the land revenue is fixed on individual survey numbers or sub-divisions thereof. The assessment is based on advantages arising from soil, water resources, location, kind of crop etc. As such the agricultural lands are divided into dry crop lands, rice lands and garden lands. All decisions in respect of such matters are taken in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Land Revenue Code and the rules thereunder.

TENANCY.

Till 1937 no steps were taken for giving protection to the tiller of the soil. The tillers were exploited by the landlords. The tenants suffered from unequal status in comparison to superior holders in matters of contract or agreement. As such tenants were left with little incentive to improve the land and obtain better yield from it. The conditions, however, changed with the passing of the Bombay Tenancy Act of 1939. Afterwards the act was amended and was entitled Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. This Act is in force in the district since 1949. It regulated the tenancy rights and provided security of tenure to and payment of only reasonable rents by the tenants. It also provided for compulsory transfer of ownership rights of tenanted lands to the tenants from 1st April 1957 and removed the absentee landlordism.

The following statement gives the administration of the Tenancy Acts in the Dhulia district.

The Tenancy Act is not applicable to Akrani and Akkalkuwa talukas.

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