'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1878-79’ [‎110r] (224/759)

1878*79.] SETTLEMENTS, 111
Chap. II.
of this District a matter of time; but ; up to the present, operations
have been carried on satisfactorily, both as regards the rate of
progress and the general results.
In Savantvadi 25 villages were settled, with the result of
increasing the assessment from Rs. 22,892 to Rs. 32,913, or 43*7
per cent. The progress would have been still greater had not
the necessity arisen for transferring a part of the establishment
to Ratnagiri to assist in the Khoti settlement and the regular
survey operations going on in that District.
The settlement of the Jath Jagir, under Satara, was com
pleted two years ago, but owing to famine could not be intro
duced. This year the new rates were duly published, the result
being an increase of Rs. 22,901 in assessment—from Rs. 54,769
toRs. 77,670. A great part of this increase is, however, nominal,
as it is probable that much of the land thus assessed will be
resigned on the application of the new rates next year. The
condition of the cultivators in this State is so deteriorated that
it was found advisable to fix the rates according to the standard
in force in the adjacent British districts twenty-five years ago.
It is believed that, with a few seasons of plentiful or even average
harvests, the State will revert to its former prosperous condition.
The settlement of the Sangli State has been completed during
the year by the introduction of the survey rates into 61 State and
2 alienated villages. The increase is small, amounting only
to Rs. 10,858. The rates have been, of necessity, pitched 15* per
cent higher than they would have been had the land surveyed
been British territory, in order to maintain the revenue at its
present figure. This point, as was observed in last year’s Report,
has always to be taken into consideration in the settlement of
Native States. The benefit reaped by the occupant from the
survey consists in the equity and certainty of the system, which
prevents the influential landholder from obtaining undue advan
tages over his less fortunate neighbours, and not in the lowering
of the assessment.
A considerable number of State villages in one taluka of
Kolhapur were ready for settlement this year, but it was held
advisable to defer the introduction of the new rates until the
whole of the sub-division had been prepared to receive them.
The total expenditure of the Revenue Survey Department
during the year amounted toRs. 7,36,477, out of which Rs. 56,326
are payable by Native States, leaving the cost to Glovernment
Rs. 6,80,151, as compared with Rs. 6,33,644 last year. The
increased revenue resulting from the settlements introduced
during the year was Rs. 1,82,129 in British territory, and
Rs. 43,780 in Native States and alienated villages. Revised
rates have now been introduced into part or the whole of six
Collectorates at a cost of Rs. 18,41,858, producing in the ag
gregate an additional revenue, in the year under review, of
Rs. 12,11,902, or cumulatively, since the first revision was under-
ADMINISTRA
TION OF THE
LAND.
Native
States.
Sdvantv&di.
Jath,
Sdngli,
Kolhapur,
Financial
results.*
* These statistics are furnished by the Commissioner of Surveys.