HC Deb 08 March 1898 vol 54 cc967-8
MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can state what the land revenue of the Central Provinces of India was before the recent settlement operations were commenced, and what it now is according to the revised assessments; whether the old rule of making settlements for thirty years has been strictly adhered to; and, if not, for what periods have settlements been made; whether the old rule of fixing the Government demand at one-half of the rental has been strictly adhered to in determining the amounts payable by the Malquzars (landlords); and, if not, what is the proportion which the sums payable by Malquzars, including rates, bear to their rental; and whether, in view of the severe famine from which the people of the Central Provinces have recently suffered, the Government will postpone the introduction of the revised settlement for one or two years until the people have completely recovered from the effects of the famine?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, Ealing

The land revenue receipts of the Central Provinces in 1883–4, before revised assessments came anywhere into force, were 62 lakhs; the land revenue receipts for the year ending September, 1896 (the latest year for which complete figures are available), were 76⅔lakhs. In most parts of the Central Provinces the settlements of 1863–70 were for 30 years; in some parts they were for 20 years, and in a few small backward tracts they were for shorter terms. The present settlement is for a term of 20 years, save in a very few and limited backward tracts. At the settlements of 1863–70 the land revenue of the northern districts of the Central Provinces was fixed at one half the rental, while the revenue of the southern and eastern districts was fixed at from 65 to 75 per cent. of the rental. At the recent settlement, the share of the rental taken as revenue has been generally 50 per cent. in the northern districts, and under (in many cases considerably under) 60 per cent. of the rental in the southern and eastern districts. With regard to the 4th Clause of the Question the following answer was recently given in the Legislative Council of the Governor General— The Government of India do not consider it necessary to postpone the introduction of the revised assessments in tracts affected by famine in the Central Provinces, where re-settlement operations have recently been completed or are in progress. Liberal suspensions and remissions of revenue and rent have been granted on account of the famine, and the Government of India are of opinion that the revised assessments form a more equitable basis than an assessment based upon the conditions of 30 years ago can form for calculating the amount of revenue and rent which should be collected or suspended or remitted.