'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1878-79’ [‎112v] (229/759)

BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
Chap. II.
ADMINISTRA
TION OF THE
LAND.
Encumbered
Estates.
Gujar&t.
Ahmedabad.
116
[ 1878 - 79 .
equitable settlement of the principal disputes; but until t!
results have been communicated the actual financial position f
the estate is not sufficiently ascertained to admit of its be' °
considered in the above table. The increase in the number
of applications for the assistance of this special officer implies
that the system is one that gives satisfaction to the creditors
and minors concerned. The administration of the rest of the
estates entered in the table was conducted as usual, and calls
for no special remark.
Three special Acts are in force in this Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. relating’ to
the temporary administration, by Government, of the estates of
certain landed classes who have become deeply involved in
debt. One of these measures relates to the Talukdars of Ahme
dabad ; a second to the Thakurs, or persons occupying a some
what analogous position in Broach and Kaira; and the third to
the Zamindars of Sind.
The Talukdari Settlement Officer in Gujarat administered
during the year, 92 encumbered estates brought under the Acts
relating to Ahmedabad, Broach and Kaira respectively. Four
of these were freed from debt during the period under review
and released from attachment. No new ones were brought under
management, in contrast to last year, when the Act of 1862 was
applied to sixteen new estates in Ahmedabad alone.
The total amount of debt for which the Talukdars or landlords
of this District are liable was Rs. 2,02,746 at the beginning of
the year 1878-79. Of this Rs. 1,07,935 were owing to private
creditors, and Rs. 94,811 to Government in repayment of loans
granted in some thirteen instances. Rs. 6,612 were repaid to cre
ditors during the present season without recourse to further advances
from Government; whilst of the Rs. 94,811 owed to Government,
in addition to Rs. 2,064 on account of interest, Rs. 16,423 were
repaid, leaving the outstanding debt, Rs. 1,01,323, due to private
creditors, and Rs. 80,452 to Government, or Rs. 1,81,775 mail.
The bad season, especially in the southern talukas of Ahmedabad,
rendered it impracticable to realize sufficient revenue to cover
ordinary expenses, and leave a margin for the repayment of
debts. No less than 41 estates were thus situated, and in several
others but a small amount could be recovered. As compared with
the repayments of 1877-78,
therefore, those of the year
under review fell off by
Rs. 35,535, or 73* per cent.
This can be seen from the
marginal table, which also
shows the decrease to have
Government than those to
private creditors.
been proportionately larger
in the case of debts to
Repaid in
Account.
1877-78.
1878-79.
Rs.
Rs.
1. Government
2. Private creditors .
38,406
8,164
16,423
6,612
Total ...
48,570
13,035
More or less
... |
—35,535
Broach.
Compared with the number of encumbered estates under manage
ment in Ahmedabad, those in Broach are very few, being only