APPENDIX III
Work done by the District Employment exchange,
Kapurthala, 1976-77 to 1981-82
|
Year |
Number of registration during the year |
Number of vacancies notified |
Number of applicants placed in employment during the year |
Number of applicants on live register at the end for the year |
Monthly number of employees using the exchange |
Vacancies carried over at the end of the year |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
1976-77 |
7910 |
1142 |
779 |
10137 |
289 |
13463 |
|
1977-78 |
5731 |
839 |
776 |
7959 |
144 |
9644 |
|
1978-79 |
5892 |
874 |
528 |
8901 |
127 |
10267 |
|
1979-80 |
4815 |
835 |
542 |
9252 |
134 |
5872 |
|
1980-81 |
5017 |
805 |
354 |
10580 |
176 |
1998 |
|
1981-82 |
3695 |
582 |
324 |
11288 |
146 |
1507 |
(Source: District Employment Officer, Kapurthala.)
APPENDIX IV
Work done by the
Town Employment Exchange, Phagwara in the Kapurthala District, during 1976-77
to 1981-82
|
Year |
Registration during the year |
Vacancies notified |
Applicants placed in employment during the year |
Applicants on live register at the end of the year |
Monthly No. of employers using the exchange |
Vacancies carried over at the end of the year |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
1976-77 |
2167 |
664 |
251 |
3089 |
80 |
126 |
|
1977-78 |
2669 |
1237 |
197 |
3431 |
77 |
98 |
|
1978-79 |
2170 |
457 |
168 |
2746 |
73 |
37 |
|
1979-80 |
1287 |
663 |
105 |
2473 |
55 |
109 |
|
1980-81 |
1261 |
465 |
148 |
2522 |
74 |
118 |
|
1981-82 |
1333 |
691 |
188 |
2698 |
73 |
58 |
(Source: Assistant Employment Officer, Phagwara)
CHAPTER X
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
(a) Historical Background and Division of the District
The administration of Kapurthala District differed from the districts, which previously formed a part presumption-1966 Punjab. Prior to the partition of the country in 1947, Kapurthala was a princely state ruled by a Raja, who exercised independent jurisdiction including powers of life and death.
In matters pertaining to the executive, a chief secretary and a council of two members assisted the Raja. The council hared appeals against the decisions of the revenue member and the sessions judge, and was the final court of appeal subject to revision by the prince. If the members were in distribution-agreement on any point, the chief secretary exercised a casting vote.
For administration purposes, the territory was divided into five tehsils, namely Kapurthala, Phagwara, Sultanpur Lodhi, Dhilwan and Bholath. The last mentioned included the niabat of Bhunga. Each tehsil was under the charge of a tehsildar who was entrusted with executive and subordinate judicial powers, revenue, civil and criminal.
The revenue member or financial minister heard appeals from cases decided by the collectors and the judicial assistant. He was the treasury officer with the stamp department under his control, sub-registrar, superintendent of excise, president of the local rates committee and officer-in-charge of the courts of words.
The collector had both original and appellate jurisdiction in the tehsils of Kapurthala, Phagwara and Sultanpur Lodhi, while revenue executive matters were referred to him from the whole state. He was also vice-president of the local rates committee.
The judicial assistant heard original revenue suits and appeals from tehsils Dhilwan and Bholath and from the niabat of Bhunga. He did no executive revenue work. The collector and the judicial assistant were invested with the powers of a collector, as defined in the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887.
The five tehsildars were empowered to decide all revenue suits the subject matter of which did not exceed Rs. 300 in value and were sub-registerars, with powers to register documents relating to property valued at Rs. 100 or less. The three naib-tehsildars could hear revenue suits of the value of Rs. 100. These stationed at Phagwara, Sultanpur Lodhi and Bhunga.
After the partition of the country in 1947, the Kapurthala state was merged with the Patiala and East Punjab States Union on 20 August 1948. Bholath and Sultanpur Lodhi tehsils were merged with Kapurthala Tehsil and Bhunga with Phagwara tehsil.
The administration again underwent a change when India was declared a Republic on 26 January 1950. As many as 24 villages of erstwhile Bhunga Tehsil and 5 villages of the Kapurthala Tehsil were transferred to the Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts, respectively.
On the formation of PEPSU in August 1948, all departments came under the control of the PEPSU Government and on the merger of PEPSU with Punjab on 1 November 1956, they came under the control of Punjab Government. The present administrative set-up of the Kapurthala District is detailed hereunder.
Administration Divisions:
For the purposes of general and revenue administration, the district is divided into three tehsils, viz. Kapurthala (including sub-tehsils Bholath and Dhilwan), Sultanpur Lodhi and Phagwara. All these are co-terminus with subdivisions. Phagwara was made a sub-division in 1958, Kapurthala in 1865 and Sultanpur Lodhi in 1970.
The strength of Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars in the district, as on 31 March 1982, is given below:
|
Subdivision |
Number of posts |
||
|
Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) |
Tehsildar |
Naib-Tehsildar |
|
|
Kapurthala |
1 |
1 |
5 |
|
Sultanpur Lodhi |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Phagwara |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
District Kapurthala |
3 |
3 |
7 |
Deputy
Commissioner:
The general administration of the district is vested in the Deputy Commissioner, who, for administrative purposes, is under the control of the Commissioner of Jalandhar Division. He has to play triple role-as Deputy Commissioner, Collector and District Magistrate;
(i) As Deputy Commissioner, he is the executive head of the district with multifarious responsibilities relating to civil administration, development, panchayats, local bodies, etc. With the separation of powers, his role as District Magistrate is reduced in scope.
The important branches in the Deputy Commissioner’s office are; Miscellaneous Branch, District Revenue Accounts Branch (Revenue), District Revenue Accounts Branch (Taccavi), Transport Branch, Nazarat Branch, Passport and Licensing Branch, Complaint and Enquiry Branch, Establishment Branch, Development Branch, Panchayat Branch, Local Fund Branch with Civil Defence Work, Registration Branch, Judicial Record Room, Record Room Vernacular, Copying Agency, Peshi Branch, Sadar Kanungo’s Branch, Record and Issue Branch, Ligh/Migh Branch, Housing Branch, Dharmarth Branch, Small Saving Branch and Rehabilitation Branch, etc.
(ii) As Collector, the Deputy Commissioner is the head of the revenue administration in the district and although this officer no longer claims the major share of his attention, being the chief custodian of land records, responsible for keeping them up-to-date and settling disputes, from the point of view of the common man, he is a very important functionary. He is responsible for all the collection of land revenue as well as other kinds of Government taxes, fees and dues. He is the appointing authority for most of the important subordinate revenue staff in the district and supervises and controls their work.
He is responsible for seeing that all Government properties in the district are well cared for, and in times of agricultural distress, or emergencies like floods, drought, scarcity, outbreak of epidemics, etc., relief is rushed to the people and remedial measures taken. He is responsible for the grant and recovery of certain types of loans for agricultural improvement. He is the highest revenue judicial authority in the district and hears appeals against the decisions of subordinate revenue officers in a variety of matters though this task is being increasingly delegated to supporting officers.
Besides his above mentioned duties as Deputy Commissioner, Collector and dimished role as District Magistrate, the Deputy Commissioner also functions as Deputy Custodian of evacuee property. He oversees the work of municipal committees, market committees, panchayats, panchayat samities, community development blocks and the zila parishad which have emerged with the decentralization of authority and expansion of Panchayati Raj. He is also responsible for the execution of rural development schemes under the Community Development Programme.
The most important role of the Deputy Commissioner is as co-ordinator of all development works in his district. He presides over several committees of departmental officers and subject-matter specialists working in the field and interprets Government policies to them and serves as the eyes and ears of the Government and is often entrusted with special enquiries with happenings, conduct of public servants and so forth.
Sub Divisional Officers (Civil):
The Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) is a miniature Deputy Commissioner of his subdivision. He is either a junior member of the Indian Administrative Service or a member of the State Civil Service with a certain length of experience. He exercises direct control over the Tehsildar and his staff. The normal channel of correspondence between the Deputy Commissioner and the Tehsildar is the Sub Divisional Officer.
The powers and responsibilities of the Sub Divisional Officer relating to revenue, magisterial, executive and development matters run parallel to those of the Deputy Commissioner but at a lower level. His revenue duties are supervision and inspection of all matters from assessment to collection and co-operative-ordination of work in the departments of revenue, agriculture, P.W.D., transport, education, medical and family planning, etc. within the sub-division.
His magisterial duties include executive cases, constant contact with the police, watch over the relations between various communities and classes, special precautions and action in emergencies especially connected with festivals and scrutiny of applications for grant of arms licences. He has ample powers under the Criminal Procedure Code, the Police Rules and other laws to exercise effective supervision over the law and order situation in his area.
In his executive capacity, he can call for any criminal records and registers from police stations and summon Station House Officers to explain matters. He can bind down anti-social elements and demand security from them. He commands close contact with the public and intimate association with local bodies and market committees. He is also associated with the community development programme.
Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars:
There is no substantial difference between the duties of Tehsildars and the Naib-Tehsildars excepting that Tehsildars have been invested with the powers of Assistant Collectors 1st Grade under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 with regard to partition cases whereas Naib-Tehsildars are Assistant Collectors 2nd Grade for all purposes. In criminal powers also they differ, the Tehsildars are normally Magistrates II Class while the Naib-Tehsildars are Magistrates III Class.
Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars are responsible for the collection of land revenue and other dues payable to the Government. They have to tour extensively to keep in touch with subordinate revenue officials, to observe the seasonal conditions and condition of crops to take note of the problems or cultivators and to distribute taccavi loans. They decide urgent matters like correction of entries in the accounts books, providing relief to the people faced with normal calamities, etc., on the spot and on return to their headquarters, they draw up reports and recommend remission or suspension of revenue, bring the record of rights up-to-date, sit in the court to settle disputes regarding tenancies arrears of rent, ejectment of tenants, besides functioning as Sub-Registrars of documents under the Registration Act.
The Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars in the district are assisted by 3 Office Kanungos (one each at tehsil headquarters), 12 Field Kanungos (7 at Kapurthala, 2 at Phagwara and 3 at Sultanpur Lodhi ) and 186 Patwaris.
Kanungos and Patwaris:
The duties of a Kanungo are supervisory in nature. The Patwari is the representative of Government at the village level. He has usually one or two or more villages in his charge. His local knowledge is extensive and there is little in the way of information about the village and its inhabitants that he is unaware of. Consequently, he is referred to not unrealistically, as the eyes and ears of the Collector.
The Patwari’s duties include conducting surveys, field inspections, recording of crops, revision of maps or reports relating to mutations, partition, revenue or rent, taccavi, etc. Under the orders of the Collector, he prepare the records of rights. He is also required to report to the Tehsildar any calamity affecting land, crops, cattle or the agriculturists. He assists in the decimal census operations and preparation of voters lists under the election law. He reports crimes and prepares maps to facilitate police enquiries. Preparations of Dhal bachh (papers regarding distribution of revenue over holdings) is his special duty.
Lambardars:
A Lambardar, although a non-official is a representative of Government in the village. His main duty is to collect the land revenue and remit it by post or deposit it in the tehsil treasury personally. He is given 5 per cent of the collections by way of pachotra. In addition to his duties of land revenue collection, he looks after law and order in his area and reports incidents to the area police station. He is a multi-purpose official to help the Government in getting all sorts of data and information and is the custodian of all government properties in the village. He is assisted by a village Chowkidar.
The district has been divided into 4 development blocks, namely Kapurthala, Phagwara, Sultanpur Lodhi and Nadala. Each block is in charge of a Block Development and Panchayat Officer who is under the administrative control of the Chairman of the respective Block Samity, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) of the respective subdivision, and the District Development and Panchayat Officer at the district level, besides being under the over all control of the Deputy Commissioner.
Previously, the block was under the charge of a Block Development Officer but with the merger of the Panchayat Department with the Development Department in 1959, the post has been redesignated as Block Development and Panchayat Officer and the incumbents have been vested with the powers of Panchayat Officer under the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952.
The Block Development and Panchayat Officer is responsible for the successful implementation of development schemes in his block. He also guides and supervises the work of the staff of specified departments in his block. He is assisted by a number of Extension Officers belonging to Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Co-operation and Industries Departments besides some who are part of his own establishment.
(d) General Arrangement for Disposal of Business
In addition to the Sub Divisional Officers (Civil), Tehsildars and Block Development and Panchayat Officers, the Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, is assisted by a General Assistant, a District Officer for Removal of Grievances, a District Development and Panchayat Officer, a District Transport Officer, Executive Magistrates, a District Revenue Officer and a District Attorney. The Assistant Commissioner/Extra Assistant Commissioners (under training) are temporarily appointed from time to time with varying levels of powers—magisterial (executive) and revenue.
Registration:
The Deputy Commissioner is the Registrar and, in that capacity, he is responsible for registration work in the district. As against the old practice, he is no longer an ex-officio Registrar. In the Kapurthala District, 3 Tehsildars as Sub-Registrars, assist the Registrar one each in the three tehsils of Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi and Phagwara. The Naib-Tehsildar in a tehsil is the ex-officio Joint Sub-Registrar and he undertakes the registration work only when the regular Sub-Registrar is on leave or away from the headquarters. In Bholath Sub-Tehsil, the registration work is done by the Naib-Tehsildar.
Oath Commissioners:
There are 6 Oath Commissioners in the district; 3 at Kapurthala, 1 at Sultanpur Lodhi and 2 at Phagwara. They charge Rs. 2 as attestation fee for an affidavit attested by them.
District Attorney:
Formerly designated as Public Prosecutor/Government Pleader, the District Attorney is appointed by the Home Secretary to the Government, Punjab, on the recommendations of the Legal Remembrance. He presents the Government in cases before the Civil and Sessions Courts and is under the administrative control of the Director, Prosecution and Litigation and Joint Secretary to Government, Punjab. He is assisted by 3 Assistant District Attorneys Grade-India, and 8 Assistant District Attorneys Grade-II. The District Attorney and Assistant District Attorneys are not allowed to engage in private practice.
Various standing committees are constituted to advise and held the administration in discharging its duties efficiently. Meetings are normally held under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, but sometimes Minister on tour attends their meetings. The following committees exist in the Kapurthala District for the purpose:-
1 District Officer’s Board
2 District Agricultural and Production Committee
3 Kallar Land Committee
4 District Removal of Grievances Committee under the Chairmanship of any one of the Ministers
5 District Industrial Advisory Committee
6 District Revenue Officers’ Committee
7 District Essential Commodities Committee
8 District Free Legal Service & Advice Committee
9 Committee regarding release of Under trial Prisoners
10 Disposal of Criminal and Litigation Committee
11 Review of Plan Schemes Committee
12 District House Allotment Committee
13 District Peace Committee
(f) State and
Central Government Officers
The following State and Central
Government Officers are posted in the district :-
State Government Officers:
1 Deputy
Commissioner, Kapurthala
2 General
Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala
3 District
Officer, Removal of Grievances, Kapurthala
4 District
Transport Officer, Kapurthala
5 Executive
Magistrates, Kapurthala District
6 District Development and Panchayat
Officer, Kapurthala
7 Distribution
Employment Officer, Kapurthala
8 District
Food and Supplies Controller, Kapurthala
9 District
Public Relations Officer, Kapurthala
10 Distribution Statistical Officer,
Kapurthala
11 District Language Officer, Kapurthala
12 District Welfare Officer, Kapurthala
13 District
Animal Husbandry Officer, Kapurthala
14 District Sports Officer, Kapurthala
15 General Manager, District Industries
Centre, Kapurthala
16 District
Education Officer, Kapurthala
17 District
Fisheries Office, Kapurthala
18 Treasury Officer, Kapurthala
19 Chief Agricultural Officer, Kapurthala
20 Assistant
Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, Kapurthala
21 Assistant
Soil Conservation Officer, Kapurthala
22 Sub Divisional, Officer (Civil),
Kapurthala
23 Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), Sultanpur
Lodhi
24 Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), Phagwara
25 Tehsildar,
Kapurthala
26 Tehsildar,
Sultanpur Lodhi
27 Tehsildar,
Phagwara
28 Tehsildar
Elections, Kapurthala
29 Tehsildar
(Sales), Kapurthala
30 Excise
and Taxation Officer, Kapurthala
31 Excise
and Taxation Officer, Phagwara
32 Executive
Officer, Municipal Committee, Kapurthala
33 Executive Officer,
Municipal Committee, Sultanpur Lodhi
34 Executive Officer, Municipal Committee,
Phagwara
35 District
and Sessions Judge, Kapurthala
36 Senior
Sub-Judge, Kapurthala
37 Chief
Judicial Magistrate, Kapurthala
38
Sub
Judge, Kapurthala
39
Sub-Judge,
Sultanpur Lodhi
40
sub-Judge,
Phagwara
41
District
Attorney, Kapurthala
42
Superintendent
of Police, Kapurthala
43
Civil
Surgeon, Kapurthala
44
District
Family Planning Officer, Kapurthala
45
District
Commander, Punjab Home Guards, Kapurthala
46
Commandant,
N. C. C., Kapurthala
47
Secretary,
Zila Sainik Board, Kapurthala
48
Deputy
Superintendent, District Jail, Kapurthala
49
Operational
Research Officer, Kapurthala
50
District
Probation Officer, Kapurthala
51
Assistaant
Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Kapurthala
52
Forest
Range Officer, Kapurthala, at Dhilwan
53
Assistant
Geologist, Kapurthala
54
Block
Development and Panchayat Officer, Kapurthala
55
Block
Development and Panchayat Officer, Sultanpur Lodhi
56
Block
Development and Panchayat Officer, Phagwara
57
Block
Development and Panchayat Officer, Nadala
58
Executive
Engineer, Construction Division, P.W.D., B. & R. Branch, Kapurthala
59
Sub
Divisional Engineer, Construction Sub Division, P. W. D., B & R Branch,
Kapurthala
60
Sub
Divisional Engineer, Provincial Sub Division, P.W.D., B & R Branch
Kapurthala
61
Sub
Divisional Engineer, P. W. D., B & R Branch, Sultanpur Lodhi
62
Sub
Divisional Engineer, Construction Subdivision, P.W.D., B & R Branch,
Phagwara
63
Sub
Divisional Engineer, P.W.D., Public Health Subdivision, Kapurthala
64
Sub
Divisional Officer, P.W.D., Public Health Subdivision, Phagwara
65
Sub
Divisional Officer, Tubewells, Kapurthala
66
Sub
Divisional Officer, Bist Doab Subdivision, Kapurthala
67
Sub
Divisional Officer, Panchayati Raj, P.W.D. (Construction and Maintenance)
Subdivision, Kapurthala
68
Sub
Divisional Officer, Drainage Subdivision, Kapurthala
69
Sub
Divisional Officer, Water Supply and Sewerage Subdivision, Kapurthala
70
Sub
Divisional Officer (Enquiry and Maintenance) Subdivision, Kapurthala
71
Sub
Divisional Officer (Enquiry and Maintenance) Subdivision, Phagwara
72
Superintending
Engineer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Kapurthala
73
Executive
Engineer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Kapurthala (City)
74
Executive
Engineer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Sub Urban, Kapurthala
75
Executive
Engineer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Phagwara
76
Sub
Divisional Officer, Punjab State Electricity Board, City Subdivision No. 1,
Kapurthala
77
Sub
Divisional Officer, Punjab State Electricity Board, City Subdivision No. 2,
Kapurthala
78
Sub
Divisional Engineer, 132 K.V. Sub-Station, Kapurthala
79
Sub
Divisional Officer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Subdivision, Phagwara
80
Sub
Divisional Officer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Rural Mansurwal
81
Sub
Divisional Officer (Store), Punjab State Electricity Board, Subdivision,
Kapurthala
82
District
Savings Officer, Kapurthala
Central Government Officers
1
Director,
Audit and Accounts, Posts & Telegraphs Department, Kapurthala
2
Superintendent
of Post Offices, Post & Telegraphs Department, Kapurthala
3
Deputy Accountant-General, Posts & Telegraphs
Department, Kapurthala
4
Income
Tax Officer, Phagwara
5
Superintendent,
Central Excise, Phagwara
6
Income
Tax Officer, Kapurthala
7
Superintendent,
Central Excise, Kapurthala
CHAPTER XI
REVENUE ADMINISTRATION
(a) Land Revenue
Administration
(i) History
of Land Revenue Assessment and Management:
The history of land administration in the Kapurthala District is chronologically traced back to the year 1801 when as a princely state it was under the rule of Raja Fateh Singh of the Ahluwalia Misl. During the period of his reign, (1801—1837), the assessment of land revenue was made on the basis of the produce, generally about one-half of the former, after making certain deductions in favour of the leading landowners. To collect the land revenue, the ordinary method of dividing the grain or appraising the standing crops was employed. On certain crops such as sugarcane, cotton, chari, tobacco, chillies, vegetables, and spring fodder crops, cash rates varying from four annas to eight rupees per ghumaon were levied.
To
make up the revenue deficiency, called izad, in the State’s exchequer, certain
cases like maharrirana and sardehi including the extra demands were collected
partly in cash and partly in kind.
Thus, the state share of the produce was about one-half of the gross
output. The system of revenue
collection was quite scientific and measurements were taken by pacing. Rough lists called khasra kankut were
prepared which included the names of cultivator, the area of land cultivated,
the crops, and amount of estimate produce.
For
revenue purposes, the territory was divided into taluks and each such division
was placed under the control of a Kardar or Gumashta who was responsible for
the payment of land revenue from the lands under his charge. Each village had one or more muqadams or
panches (corresponding somewhat to the lambardars of the present day) who
assisted the Kardar in collecting the revenue; and on the lands held by such
men, the State share was generally decreased from one-half to two-fifths
(panjdu) or one-third (tihar) or even one-fourth. Various grants of land were also assigned, and gratuities allowed
in cash or kind under the denomination of inam mamuli or muafi. As the Kardar never enjoyed security of
position, chief aim was to enrich himself as far as possible within the brief
period of his authority. Joint
responsibility for the demand was scarcely ever enforced, the cultivator being
held responsible solely for the revenue or his one holding. Proprietary rights, though recognized, were
for the most part of the nominal value.
Although
theoretically the cultivator was to retain half the gross produce, and the
proprietor’s share was to come from the remaining half, the proprietor received
nothing if the State appropriated its maximum share. Under the kankut or the batai syste, the revenue was always
realized from the cultivators and not from the proprietors. The system held that the malguzar, the one
who paid the revenue, was ipso facto
proprietor. Thus, the proprietors
remained in the background, and the cultivator in possession also bore the
burden of a malguzar. The officials
seldom succeeded in collecting the full State demand, and what was collected
did not all find its way into the hands of the State.
This
system contained till 1841 when Raja Nihal Singh brought about certain changes.
Accordingly, in certain villages, in the case of chahi lands, the revenue share
of the State was commuted for a money demand.
Besides, the system of farming out the revenue of clusters of villages
was adopted and the system of cash rent
was extended—the demand being calculated on the estimated produce of the past
five years. But these assessments
lacked permanency as the State had sometimes to accept payments in kind when
cash collections failed. The farmers
were designated as mustajars who were held responsible for the revenue, being
free to make their own bargain with the cultivators. They were authorized to use coercive measures to enforce the
demand.
Another
change was that the Jama was revised almost annually and alterations were made
according to crop conditions, etc. In
1855, the revenue system underwent a further change. Rough measurements were made without preparing field maps and
fresh assessments in cash were fixed on the annual average income of the
previous ten years.
The
above revenue system had many shortcomings as it was based on the first Summary
Settlements of 1854—1857. Therefore,
the need for regular settlement was felt by the British, resulting in four
settlements which are discussed briefly as under :
First Regular Settlement:
This was done between 1862 and
1865. Accordingly, all the tehsils of
the district, except the Bhunga and Wayan sub-divisions—being already
assessed—were covered. The procedure
followed to prepare the record of rights was the same prevailing in the
surrounding districts. It, therefore,
included the following:-
Shajra Kishtwar Naqsha Chahat
Khasra Naqsha Gair hazran
Muntakhib (Jamabandi) Fehrist Muafiyat
Shajra-Nasb Wajib-ul-arz
For
purposes of assessment, each tehsil was divided into circles and cash rates
were fixed. These were calculated
according to the quality of the different kinds of soil irrigated, unirrigated
and riverain. Culturable waste was
neglected but provision was made for its future assessment if brought under
cultivation during the term of the settlement.
In
Sultanpur, these circles were two in number—the Dona or upland tract; and the
Bet or lowland tract. Kapurthala Tehsil
was divided into similar belts. Dhilwan
and Bholath lie entirely in the Bet. No
attempt was made to partition Phagwara into circles. Rates did not vary from circle to circle to any marked degree.
The
cultivated area of the whole State was 2,92,893 ghumaons of which only 66,913
were chahi. The revenue assessed
amounted to Rs. 7,04,981 which included the amount assessed on the Wayan and
Bhunga subdivisions which had already been regularly settled by the British for
a period of 25 years in the year 1856.
This gave an incidence on cultivated area of Rs.2-6-6 per ghumaon or Rs.
3-9-9 per acre.
In
1870, Phagwara Tehsil was again settled for ten years, which was afterwards
extended to one of 20 years. However,
the record of rights remained the same, and the system of triangulation was
employed in the measurements.
Culturable wastes were included in this assessment, but at the time of
extending the term for which the settlement had to run, some further additions
were made to the jama on account of these lands. Rates remained the same.
Under
the revised settlement, the tehsils of Kapurthala, Sultanpur, Dhilwan and
Bholath—excluding Wayan and Bhunga were covered for assessment. When operations were commenced, it was
contemplated to exact the full increment of revenue on newly irrigated and
cultivated lands according to the rates fixed in the previous settlement.
Revised Settlement, 1878:
It was found, however, impracticable
to take the full increase so calculated and accordingly Sir Charles Rivaz, then
Superintendent of the State, with the concurrence of the revenue officials,
relinquished the claim of the State to a portion varying from one-half to
two-thirds of the revenue which had thus become due during the term of the last
settlement.
The
first years of this previous settlement were a period of moderate rainfall and
river floods, so that the harvests, though deficient in most parts of the
Punjab, were abundant in Kapurthala at the same time prices ruled at a high
level and the State demand was met with ease.
But the few years immediately preceding the revised settlement were
different. Harvests throughout Punjab
were excellent and the prices abnormally low, while Kapurthala State was
suffering severely from excessive rains and high floods. Hence it was only possible to meet the heavy
State demand because the old settlement was still in force and no enhancement
of revenue was made on new wells and land brought under cultivation during the
preceding twelve years. It these
arrears had been levied, the new settlement would have been in difficulties
from the start. For these reasons only
a portion of the arrears was taken up and the new rates were kept a fair and
even generous level. The revised
settlement came into force in 1876 with the exception of Phagwara Tehsil where
the new assessments dated from the year 1870.
The cultivated area was 3,55,325 ghumaons and the total revenue amounted
to Rs. 7,71,730 and the incidence Rs.2-2-9 per ghumaon or amounted to Rs.3-4-1 per
acre. The increase in cultivated area
was 21 per cent while the increase of assessed revenue was only 9 per
cent. In 1890, Phagwara was again
settled for a term of 18 years.
Revised Settlement, 1902-04:
Although the above settlements were in operation, a
need for a new settlement was felt.
Consequently, the square system of measurement was employed, as also in
the other four tehsils in which remeasurement and reassessment were completed
in 1904. These operations commenced in
1902 for Kapurthala, Sultanpur, Dhilwan and Bholath tehsils. The rates fixed at the first settlement were
again applied.
According to the figures of this settlement, the
cultivated area of the whole state was 3,75,085 ghumaons, an increase of 28 per
cent since the first, and of 5.5 per cent since the revised settlement. The chahi area had increased by 73 per cent.
The assessed revenue, amounted to Rs. 8,71,623 which gave
an incidence of Rs. 2-5-2 per ghumaon, or Rs. 3-7-9 per acre. The increase as compared with the figures of
the first settlement was 24 per cent, and of the second 13 per cent.
Second Regular Settlement:
This was done in 1921—30. The record of rights was framed after detailed measurements, the
unit being the marla the kanal and the ghumaon. This settlement was to remain
in operation for 30 years but due to constitutional upheavals, the princely
State was abolished and the area became part of the Patiala and East Punjab
States Union and later on of Punjab.
Under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, the settlement was statutorily
limited to 40 years and a settlement was due in some parts of the district.
In the settlement, measurements were done on the square
system with a karam of 54". The
assessment was raised and was fixed and could be increased or decreased through
preparation of alluvion and diluvion files in respect of 190 villages affected
by the rivers Beas, the Satluj and the Black (Kali) Bein. In times of natural calamities land revenue
could be suspended or remitted or reduced.
The total revenue assessed was Rs. 19,97,410. However, the administration realized that
tis was on the high side and a reduction of two-annas per rupees was made and
again in 1957 a cut of 40 per cent in Bet Assessment Circles and 21 per cent in
Dona areas was given. But still it was
found that the assessment rate in the later circles was high as compared in the
adjoining Jalandhar District. So a
further reduction of 30 per cent in Dona was given. Thus, after taking into account all these considerations and
reductions, the net assessment realised for the whole district was Rs.
5,66,776, i.e. virtually half of what had been assessed at the time of the
previous settlement.
With the revised assessment, speedy rise in prices,
control of floods by construction of embankments along the Beas River and other
developmental activities, the paying capacity of the people of the district
seems to have improved and now the list of defaulting estates is on the
decrease. So far as the Dona areas are
concerned, the cultivation of groundnut has greatly contributed to prosperity.
Considering all facts, it can be
said that the assessment arrived at the time of 1921—3- settlement has not
worked out well being high.