Agricultural and Administrative Reform in Bengal (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1883 Excerpt: ... Bengal Magistrate, deprived of an executive police, had no executive instruments at all. The extension of the sub-divisional system, or, in other words, the reduction in the area of the territorial units of administration, had done a good deal towards effective control; but the great addition had been to judicial rather than to administrative strength, the officers in charge of sub-divisions of districts having no executive establishments. The transfer also of rent suits from the revenue to the civil courts deprived these officers of an important source of information regarding rural affairs, and they continued to be so burdened with criminal, treasury, and other office work, that they were not free to move about their sub-divisions, to acquaint themselves with the country and the people, to superintend the details of land revenue settlements and other work, to investigate cases on the spot, and generally to carry on active personal supervision and administration within their jurisdictions. It was pointed out that a tehsildar, who is, in fact, the sub-divisional officer of other parts of India, has under his orders a deputy, who is well paid, and is available for all executive duties; a canungo or agricultural registrar, who is the link between the Government and the patwaris, or village accountants; and other subordinates to carry out his orders. Aided by this staff, the tehsildar can do whatever the Government requires of him. He is not a mere collector of revenue: he is the agent of the executive Government in all departments, and among other duties he obtains and furnishes the statistics required as a help to guide the administration. There was in Bengal no machinery like this. If special inquiries had to be made, a special agency had to be employed, wi...