AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

HOLDINGS

In 1960.61 the average size of agricultural holding in the district was 19.09 acres. The average size of ownership holding in 1952.53 was 12.60 acres as against the State average of 11.95 acres. These figures indicate that unlike many other districts in the State Wardha district has very few uneconomic holdings. The table [ District Census Handbook. Wardha, 1961, p. 168.] No. 6 gives the classification of land holdings according to size.

TABLE No. 6

CLASSIFICATION OF LAND HOLDINGS ACCORDING TO SIZE.

(Area in acres)

TABLE No. 6-contd.

Ceiling on agricultural holdings.

The Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act came into force from 26th January 1962. Under the Act two local areas viz., Arvi and Wardha have been notified with ceiling areas of 96 and 108 acres respectively for dry crop lands. In case of irrigated lands the ceiling area is the same in both the local areas, it being 18 acres in case of lands that are perennially irrigated, 27 acres where the area is irrigated in two seasons, and 48 acres where irrigation is available only for one season. Until the land in excess of the prescribed ceiling is determined land holders are not to part with, partition or transfer any part of their land. The Act requires the land holder to furish returns on their holdings to the collectors who are to conduct inquiries, determine the surplus lands and take them over. The lands so taken in possession shall vest in the State and shall be distributed among the landless or other persons in the prescribed order of priority. Under the Act the State has to pay compensation at specified rates to the land holders from whom the land is taken over.

Prevention of fragmentation and consolidation of holdings.

In the context of the productivity of agriculture the size of agricultural holding is very important. One of the principal causes of uneconomic and less productive agriculture in our country is the sub-division and fragmentation of land. The heavy pressure of growing population on land coupled with the customary laws of inheritance has resulted in sub-dividing agricultural plots into small holdings. The evil is further aggravated by the fact that these fragments are scattered all over, as a consequence of which the cost of cultivation has immensely increased. The farmer has to take his bullocks and implements from one place to another which involves undue waste of time and labour. Further, some land is wasted in marking boundaries and bunds. Due to the uneconomic size of the land, carrying out of permanent improvement on the land also becomes difficult. The farmer cannot spend on digging wells and for providing drainage facilities. This in turn affects the productivity of agriculture. It was with a view to preventing further sub-division of small holdings and consolidating the fragmented plots that the then Government of Bombay enacted the Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act in 1947. The Act was made applicable to Wardha district in 1959 and the work of consolidation was started in 1960.

The Act provides for determination of local standard areas and treatment of fragments, procedure for consolidation and actual consolidation. It also aims at preventing further fragmentation, a fragment being defined as a plot which is smaller than the standard area determined under the Act. A standard area in respect of any class of land which government may determine from time to time is the minimum area necessary for remunerative cultivation in any area.

The standard area is determined after holding the necessary inquiries about the quality and the productivity of land. The Government takes into account objections received within three months of the publication of the provisionally settled minimum areas and then the standard area for each class of land in a local area is determined. Under the Act the fragments have to be noted in the Record of Rights and village records and notices served to all persons concerned in the matter. After the issue of such notices the transfer of fragments is prohibited unless the fragment is to be merged in a contiguous survey number or in a recognised subdivision thereof. The holder of the fragment or his heirs can cultivate and inherit it, but in case of sale or lease, it can be sold or leased to the contiguous holder only. If the contiguous holder is unwilling to purchase the fragment or purposely makes a low bid, government is empowered to purchase it after paying due compensation under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

In short, the scheme is to arrange for mutual exchange of small and scattered fragments of holdings and to make the land holdings as compact as possible. It is laid down that the interests of the tenants are to be safeguarded and that no person shall be rendered landless.

The work of consolidation was taken up in 1960 and in all 15 villages covering 13,673 acres involving 2,391 holdings were consolidated. [ District Census Handbook, Wardha, 1961,] The standard areas specified as minimum necessary for profitable cultivation under the Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act are 2.0 acres in case of dry crop lands and 0.5 acres in case of bagait lands. All plots of lands less in area than the prescribed standard area are treated as fragments and their transfer except to holders of contiguous plots is prohibited.

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