107 



one-third of the whole area of the Presidency. The area 

 under cultivation in the zemindaris was estimated in 1880 at 

 about 5^ millions of acres, or a little more than one-fourth 

 of ryotwar holdings, and the acreage at present is probably 

 sonde what more. The inam areas aggregate nearly 8 million 

 acres, of which the portion actually cultivated may be taken 

 at 5 millions. The land revenue derived from permanently- 

 settled estates is about 50J lakhs of rupees, from inam 

 villages 6^ lakhs, and from minor inams 21-1 lakhs, making 

 a total of 78^ lakhs. The revenue payable to Government 

 on these lands is fixed, except that where unirrigated lands 

 are irrigated by water derived from Government works 

 newly constructed, a water-rate is levied. The water-rate 

 thus levied fluctuates from year to year and may ordinarily 

 be taken at 7-| lakhs of rupees. For the purposes of the 

 assessment of the Local Fund land cess, the rental of 

 zemindari estates has been ascertained to be 161 lakhs of 

 rupees; of inam villages to be 41 J lakhs of rupees; and of 

 minor inams to be 96 lakhs of rupees. The land revenue 

 therefore bears the proportion of one-third, one- sixth and 

 one-fifth, respectively, to the rental of zemindaris, inam 

 villages and minor inams. As regards the inam lands which 

 were held on uncertain tenure, by far the greatest portion of 

 them has been confirmed to the holders in perpetuity with 

 full right of alienation on condition of their paying a light 

 quit-rent. Inam lands held on condition of rendering service 

 to the State have also, in most districts, been enfranchised, 

 that is to say, freed from the condition of service and 

 rendered heritable and transferable property on payment of 

 a quit-rent amounting to five-eighths of the regulated assess- 

 ment. The only additional tax laid on both zemindari and 

 inam lands is the local land cess at 6J per cent, of the 

 assessment for local improvements, which they in common 

 with ryotwar lands are liable to pay. The zemindars are 

 charged with only a portion of the cess at the rate of 3J 

 per cent, on the difference between the assessment paid to 

 them by the ryots and the peshcush paid by the former to 

 Government, while the ryots pay at the rate of 3-g- per cent. 

 on the assessment paid to the zemindars. The zemindari 

 ryots thus pay the cess at only half the rates at which the 

 Government ryots are assessed in consideration of the fact of 

 the land assessment levied by zemindars being much heavier 

 than those of ryotwar lands. The amount of the cess is 12^ 

 lakhs of rupees, while the prices of produce, and, as a conse- 

 quence, Ihe annual money value of the lands have risen by 

 150 per cent*, since 1850. 



