270 



could sell his produce. In many districts the ryot f)ays the 

 Government assessment by the sale of commercial produce, 

 reserving the grain produce for his own consumption. A 

 kistbundy fixed with reference to the actual conditions of the 

 several tracts of country in regard to the time at which ryots 

 deliver their produce to middlemen is therefore still a desi- 

 deratum. The crops grown and the times for harvesting and 

 selling them vary so much in different tracts, that considera- 

 tions of uniformity should not be allowed any great weight in 

 fixing the kistbundy. A properly regulated kistbundy would 

 undoubtedly be a great boon to the ryots, and I believe I 

 am within the mark when I say that the relief afforded to the 

 poorer ryots by such a kistbundy would be tantamount to a 

 remission of 5 per cent, of the Government revenue, while, 

 taking the presidency as a whole, the enhancement made by 

 the Settlement Department in taxation does not amount to 

 more than 5 per cent. 



Another measure which can be adopted for the relief 

 of the ryot in backward districts like Anantapur, where 

 the climate is dry, soil barren, and crop failures frequent, 

 is to fix the annual revenue on the area actually cultivated 

 and not on the entire area of the holding. This will enable 

 the ryots to leave a portion of their holdings fallow in the arid 

 tracts where the chances of introducing improved methods 

 of cultivation are considerably remote. In the Anantapur 

 district, for instance, about 14 per cent, of the holdings 

 is left waste annually owing to want of rains at the proper 

 season. The assessment of the lower classes of soils might 

 be fixed somewhat higher than it is at present, when this 

 privilege is conceded. The ascertainment of the area left 

 waste, especially when the district has been surveyed, is 

 an easy process and need not entail on the superior officers 

 of Government great labour, while the necessity for careful 

 inspections for this purpose will keep the officers well posted 

 up in the agricultural conditions of the tracts under their 

 charge. Tahsildars have recently been relieved of their 

 magisterial duties and additional Revenue Inspectors have 

 been appointed to assist them; and the plan suggested is 

 now much more practicable than it was before, without risk 

 of oppression. 



95. The most effective way, however, in which Govern- 

 ment can assist the rural population to 



Aerricultnral banks. ... •, le (> -jUi-J j 



extricate itself from indebtedness and 

 enable it to obtain loans on reasonable terms for land im- 

 provements and other purposes is by providing facilities for 



