Punjab.

Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Punjab. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    on crop rates, and fluctuating from year to year with the area actually under crop, was introduced into thirty-seven estates damaged by percolation from the Bari Doab Canal. The fluctuating system was extended in 1879 to twenty-nine other villages. The resettlement of the whole District was completed between 1885 and 1892, Brices had increased enormously, by 83 per cent, in the case of wheat and barley, 57 in that of maize, and 158 in that of-great millet. Cultivation had also increased by 7 per cent., the area supplied from wells by 26, and the number of wells by 14 per cent. The water rate charged on canal lands was replaced by general enhanced rates for land irrigated from wells and canals. The result was a demand of 15J lakhs, an increase of 20 per cent, on the revenue of the last years of the expiring assessment, and the settlement was sanctioned for twenty years. The average assessment on ‘dry’ land is Rs. 1-2-6 (maximum, Rs. 1-13 ; minimum, 8 annas), and on ‘wet’ land Rs. 2-7 (maximum, Rs. 4; minimum, Rs. 1-6). The demand, in- cluding cesses, for 1903—4 was 17-7 lakhs. The collections of land revenue alone and of total revenue are shown below, in thousands of rupees :— 1880-1. 1890-1. 1900-1. 1903-4. Land revenue . Total revenue . 11,08 nil 13.85 18,30 i3i8.S 19,86 i4i57 21,17 The District contains nine municipalities, Gurdaspur, Local and Dalhousie, Batala, Dinanagar, Kalanaur, Pathankot, SujANPUR, Dera Nanak, and Srigobindpur ; and two ‘ notified areas,’ Fatehgarh and Bahrampur. Outside these, local affairs are managed by the District board, whose expendi- ture in 1903-4 amounted to 1-7 lakhs, public works being the largest item. The income, which is mainly derived from a local rate, was i-8 lakhs. The regular police force consists of 566 of all ranks, including Poli:eand 5 cantonment and 147 municipal police, in charge of a Super- intendent, who usually has 4 inspectors under him. The village watchmen number 1,957. There are 18 police stations and 12 outposts. The District jail at head-quarters has accommo- dation for 287 prisoners. The District stands twenty-fourth among the twenty-eight Education. Districts of the Province in respect of the literacy of its popula- tion. In 1901 the proportion of literate persons was 2-8 per F 2
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