78 PROPOSED TENANCY REFORMS 



produce and deducting therefrom the estimated cost of 

 cultivation. Local enquiries will generally enable these 

 estimates to be made fairly closely though care should be 

 taken that a normal price level is assumed in estimating 

 the gross money produce. I anticipate, in the case of many 

 estates, that if the revenue were assessed at 45 per cent of 

 the net assets so calculated there would be a considerable en- 

 hancement of the revenue. , If this method were adopted it 

 would probably be desirable for Government to limit its 

 demand to 40 per cent of the net assets of any particular 

 zemindari estate. 



If an announcement of this change of policy were made, 

 it would at once lead to the Talukdars enhancing their rents 

 to the full legal rent, and would thus diminish the amount of 

 nazrana which they could claim. 



Administrative Control 



It may be surmised that the system outlined above would 

 not altogether prevent the exaction of nazrana on a few 

 estates inspite of its having been definitely declared to be 

 illegal. It is true that the peasants are becoming enlightened 

 and are banding themselves together in certain localities 

 in the formation of kisan subhas (or peasant societies). This 

 movement, associated as it has been to a large extent with 

 the non-co-operation movement, has in many parts assumed a 

 lawless character. It is reasonable to hope, however, that 

 it will lead to permanently beneficial results. The peasants 

 are by nature a law-abiding class, who merely wish to be 

 left to pursue their cultivation in peace. When their just 

 grievances are ameliorated the unruly elements will find 

 themselves in-a minority, and the tendency will be for the 

 kisan sablias, wherever they survive, to interest themselves 

 mainly in the enforcement of the law and in the checking 

 of illegal practices. 



