I m p e r I a L g a z e t t ee r o f I n d I a vol. X i I i
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cu C l 0. J « Rs.
Alampur 'pargauà 37 26 1 6,711
452 - I.y
347 58,900
Rimpura-Bhänpnra 4 869 156,021 73 ~ 45’S 7 3 1 4 2 6,92,600
Mehidpur . . S40
2 43 2 r> 9 I . S 57 109 — 23.8
2 >355
4,77,100 Xe 111 a war . . I »°59
337 74=568
70 - 2 3-4 2 , 6 54 3,64,800 Indore . . . Ï.570
2 639
254,423 162
- 5.6 18,729
12,64,700 Nimär . . . 3.S7 1
1,065 257,110
66 - 12.4
S,3 2 4 9,35,600 Total
9.500 11 3,36Si 850,690 cjo — 22-7 39,5?i 37,93-700 The Canadian Presbyterian Mission have their head-quarters in the Residency, and also carry on work in' Indore city. In 1901 native Christians numbered 91. The general agricultural conditions vary with the two natural divisions of the State. The plateau section shares in the conditions common to the fertile M älwä plateau, the soil in ... . Agriculture this region being mainly of the well-known black ’ cotton variety, producing excellent crops of every kind, while the population is composed of industrious cultivators. In the Ximär and Nemäwar districts the soil is less fertile, except actually in the Narbada valley, and the rainfall rather lower, while the Bhils, who form the majority of the population, are very indifferent cultivators. In both cases, the success or failure of the crops depends entirely on the rainfall. The classification of soils adopted by the cultivators them selves is based on the appearance and quality of the soil, its proximity to a village, and its capability for bearing special kinds of (Tops. The main classes recognized are :
or
käii matti , the black cotton soil, of which there are several varieties;
a light yellow soil; pändhar , a white soil, of loose texture ; ant/iarpat/ia , a black loamy soil with rock close below it ; and
a red-coloured stony soil. According to their position and crop-bearing qualities, soils are termed
‘even’;
dhälu, ‘sloping’; chhapera , ‘broken’ soil; or räk/iad, land
close. to villages. Land bearing ricc is* called sä/gatta. Only thè ÌXDORE STATE black soil yields a spring as well as an autumn crop. Manuring is not much resorted to, except in the case of special crops or on land close to villages, where manure is easily procurable. All irrigated land produces as a rule two crops. Of the total area of the State, 1,280 square miles, or 12 per cent., have been alienated in grants, leaving 8,220 square miles directly under the State. Of this, 1,738 square miles, or 21 per cent., were culti vated in 1902-3; 3)Ooo square miles, or 36 per cent., were forest; 1,841 square miles, or 22 per cent., cultivable but not cultivated; and the rest waste. The principal statistics of cultivation in 1902-3 are shown in the following table, in square miles :— District. Total. Cultivated (khàlsa). Irrigated. cultivable waste
{k ha Isa). Alampur spargano) . 37 29
o i Ràmpura-Bhànpura . 2,123 33°
3 r > 146 Mehidpnr . . . 840 261
2 453
Nemàwar . . . 1,059
200 8 256 Indore . . . i,57o
578 J 9'7 42S Nimar . . . 3> 8
! 340
J 7 555 Total 9>5°°
I,73S 83 1,841 The chief autumn crops are, in square miles: cotton ( 2 2 0 ) , joivar (178),
bajra (93), maize (82), and tuar (38); the chief spring crops are gram (1,021),
(143)» P°PPy ( 35 )> and wheat (34). The staple food-grains are maize, joivar, bajra , wheat, barley, gram, and tuar. All attempts to introduce new varieties of seed have been hitherto unsuccessful. The State makes liberal allowances in both seed and cash to cultivators in villages managed directly by Darbar officers. The advances are repayable at harvest, interest at the rate of 1
per
cent, being charged. No interest is charged on cash advances for the purchase of bullocks. In the case of villages farmed out the farmer makes the advances, receiving one and a quarter or one and a half times the amount advanced. There are two local breeds of cattle, the Malwl and NimarT. Those of the Malwl breed are medium-sized, generally of a grey, silver-grey, or white colour, and are strong and active. The Nimarl breed is much larger than the Malwl, and well adapted to heavy work. These cattle are usually of a broken red and white colour, more rarely all red with white spots. They are bought for military purposes. Only 5 per cent, of the total cultivated area is irrigated, and irrigation is mainly confined to certain crops, such as poppy and sugar-cane, which can only be grown by means of artificial watering. The yellow
TRADE AND COMMUNICATIONS 343
soil, which is met with in some quantity in the Rampura-Bhanpura and Ximar districts and in the Petlawad pargana, requires watering for the production of good crops of all kinds, and irrigation is, therefore, much more common in these districts than elsewhere. Irrigation is usually done from wells by means of a lift. The construction of irrigation works w
r as greatly encouraged by Maharaja Tukojl Rao Holkar II. The wells belong as a rule to private individuals, and tanks and dams to the State; the latter were formerly under district officers, and have, through neglect, fallen into bad repair. A regular irrigation branch has now been started, and large sums have been sanctioned for the restora tion of old irrigation works and the construction of new ones. The revenue paid by the cultivators depends on the crop-bearing power of the soil, the possibility of irrigation, and its proximity to a village, which facilitates manuring. Forests cover approximately 3,000 square miles. Prior to 1903 they were roughly divided into ‘major’ and ‘minor’ jungles, controlled respectively by the .State Forest department and the district officials. Contractors were permitted to collect Forests, forest produce, paying the requisite dues on leaving the forest. An experienced Forest officer has now been put in charge with a view to systematic management. Every facility is given in famine years for the grazing of cattle and collection of jungle produce. In 1902-3 the forest receipts were i»8 lakhs, and the expenditure was Rs. 59,000. The forests lie in three belts. In the hilly region north of Rampura- Bhanpura
or
sdj (
Termina/ia tomentosd), dhaom (
Anogeissi/s latifolid), lendya (.
Lagerstroemia parviflora), khair (
Acacia Catechu ), and
tendu (
Diospvros tomentosd) prevail ; on the main line of the Vindhyas north of the Narbada, and also in the country south of that river, including the heavy forest area of the Satpuras, teak, anjan
binatci), and
salai
occur. Xo mineral deposits of any commercial value are known in the State, although hematite exists in large quantities at Barwaha and was formerly worked. Building stone of good quality is obtained in a few places, the quarries at Ghatia and Katkut being the most important. The manufactures of the State are of little importance, but the cotton fabrics produced at M aheshwar
are well-known. A cotton mill has been in existence in Indore city since 1870, producing coarse cloth, chiefly for local use. The mill was originally worked by the State, but since 1903 has been leased to a contractor, who also rents the ginning factory and press attached. About 500 hands are employed, wages ranging from 2 to 6 annas a day. A State workshop under the Public Works department was opened in 1905, which undertakes casting and forging, carriage-building, and other work. 341 IXDORK STATE A considerable trade is carried on in grain, hemp fibres, cotton, and opium, which are exported to Bombay. The principal imports are European hardware, machinery, piece-goods, kerosene oil, European stores, and wines. The chief trade centres are Indore, Mhow, Barwaha, Sanawad, and Tarana. The Indore State is traversed by the Khandwa-Ajmer branch of the Rajputana-Malwa Railway. The section from Indore to Khandwa through Mhow cantonment is known as the Holkar State Railway, the Darbar having granted a loan of one crore for its construction. The line crosses the Narbada at the foot of the Vindhyan scarp by a bridge of fourteen spans of 200 feet each. 'The Ratlam-Godhra branch of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway passes through the Petlawad
and the Bhopal-Ujjain Railway through the Mehidpur district, with a station at Tarana Road. The Nagda-Baran-Muttra line, now under construction, will pass through the Mehidpur and Rampura- Bhanpura districts. The chief metalled roads are the Agra-Bombay road, of which So miles lie in the State; the Indore-Simrol-Khandwa road, with 50
miles; and the Mhow-Nimach road, 12 miles in length, all of which are maintained by the British Government. Many new roads are now under construction, by which the territory will be considerably opened out. A State postal system was first started in 1S73 by Sir T. Madhava Rao, when minister to Maharaja Tukoji Rao II, and three issues of stamps have been made. In 1878 a convention was made with the British Post Office, by which a mutual exchange of correspondence was arranged. There are also twelve British post offices in the State, through which 157,156 articles paid and unpaid were sent in 1903-4, the total cash receipts being Rs. 72,000. The most serious general famine since the formation of the State was that of 1899-1900, which visited Malwa with special severity. The Famine distress was enhanced by a succession of bad years, * in which the rainfall had been (1895) 29 inches, (1896) 26 inches, (1S97) 30 inches, (1898) 39 inches, and (1899) 10 inches ; and by the inability of the people to cope with a calamity of which they had had no previous experience. Only 37 per cent, of the land revenue demand was realized in 1899-1900, while prices rose for a time to 100 and even 300 per cent, above the average during the previous five years. Strenuous efforts were made to relieve distress, 15 lakhs being expended from State funds and 3 lakhs from charitable grants, in addition to various works opened as relief works. The disastrous effects were only too apparent in the Census of 1901, while the large number of deserted houses, still to be seen in every village, show even more forcibly the severity of the calamity. The number of ADMINISTRA TION 345
persons who came on relief for one day was 572,317, or more than half the total population. The State is divided for administrative purposes into five
or
districts—I ndore
, M ehidpur
, R ampura
-B hanpura
, N emawar
, and
N imar
—besides the isolated parmna of A
lampur , , . . . . . . . , Administration, which is separately managed. Each zila is in charge of a
who is the revenue officer for his charge and a magistrate of the first class. Subdivisions of the
called
parganas, are in charge of
who are subordinate magistrates and revenue officers and act under the orders of the
. The chief being a minor, the ultimate administrative control is at present vested in the Resident, who is assisted by a minister and a Council of Regency of ten members, who hold office for three years. The minister is the chief executive officer. A special judicial committee of three members deals with appeals and judicial matters, while separate members individually control the judicial, revenue, settlement, finance, and other administrative departments. The judicial system consists of the Sadr or High Court, presided over by the chief justice with a joint judge, and district and sessions courts subordinate to it. The Sadr Court has power to pass any legal sentence, but the confirmation of the Resident and Council is required for sentences involving death or imprisonment for more than fourteen years. Its original jurisdiction is unlimited ; appeals from it lie to the judicial committee and Council, while all appeals from subordinate courts lie to it. When not a minor, the chief has full powers of life and death over his subjects. Sessions courts can impose sentences of imprisonment up to seven years. The district courts can try cases up to Rs. 1,000 in value. The British codes, and many other Acts modified to suit local requirements, are used in the State. In 1904 the courts disposed of 7,700 original criminal cases and 331 appeals, and 10,763 civil cases and 565 appeals, the value of property in dispute being i*3 lakhs. The judicial establishment costs about 1-3 lakhs per annum. The State has a normal revenue of 54 lakhs, of which 38 lakhs are derived from land, 2-7 lakhs from customs, 3-2 lakhs from excise, i*8 lakhs from forests, and 10 lakhs from interest on Government securities. The chief heads of expenditure are: general adminis tration (14-6 lakhs), chief’s establishment (n*8 lakhs), army (9-7 lakhs), public works (5-8 lakhs), police (3-6 lakhs), law and justice (i-6 lakhs), education (Rs. 82,000), sayar or customs (Rs. 71,000), medical and forests (Rs. 59,900 each). The State is the sole proprietor of the soil, the cultivators having only the right to occupy as long as they continue to pay the revenue assessed. In a few special cases mortgage and alienation are permissible. Villages may be classed in two groups :
, or those managed 346 INDORE STATE directly by the State; and ijiira, or farmed villages. Leases of the latter are usually given for five years, the farmer being responsible for the whole of the revenue, less 12^ per cent, commission, of which 2\ per cent, is allowed for working expenses and 10 per cent, as actual profit. Until 1865 whole parga?ias were granted to farmers, a general rate being assessed of Rs. 8 per acre for irrigated and R. 1 for unirrigated land. In that year a rough survey was completed, on which a fifteen years’ settlement was made, the demand being 38 lakhs. A fresh assessment was made in 1881 ; but excessive rates and mismanage ment rendered it abortive, only about 45 lakhs being realized annually out of a demand of 65 lakhs. The cultivators despaired of paying off their debts and commenced to leave their homes, while the village bankers refused to advance money. For the best black cotton soil, capable of bearing two crops a year, the rates at present range from Rs. 6 to Rs. 56 per acre. Ordinary irrigated land pays from Rs. 3 to Rs. 8 an acre, the average being about Rs. 4, and unirrigated land from a few annas to R. 1. In 1900 a detailed survey was com menced, and a regular settlement was begun in 1904. In that year 38 lakhs were collected out of a demand of 45 lakhs. A consider able proportion is derived from the high rates paid for land bearing poppy.
Opium is subject to numerous duties. The crude article, called chik, brought into Indore city for manufacture into opium, pays a tax of Rs. 16 per
The manufactured article, again, is liable to a complicated series of no less than twenty-four impositions, of which fourteen are connected with satta transactions or bargain-gambling carried on during its sale. The total amount of the impositions, including an export tax of Rs. 13-8-0 on each chest (140 lb.) exported to Bombay, amounts to Rs. 50 per chest. About Rs. 30,000 a year is derived from the registration and control of the satta transactions. In 1902-3, 4,767 chests of opium were exported, and the total income from duties was about i*8 lakhs. Salt which has paid the tax in British India is imported for local consumption duty free, under the engagement of 1883, by which the Indore State receives from the British Government Rs. 61,875 P er
annum in lieu of duties formerly levied. The excise administration is as yet very imperfect. The out-still and farming systems of British India are followed in different tracts. Liquor is chiefly made from the flowers of the mohud (
Bassia latifoha), which
grows plentifully in the State. In 1902-3 the total receipts on account of country liquor were 1-4 lakhs, giving an incidence of 1 anna 10 pies per head of population. The State coinage until 1903 consisted of various local issues, A D MINIS TRA TION 347
including the Ilali rupee coined in Indore city. The British rupee became legal tender in June, 1902. Municipalities are being gradually constituted throughout the State. Besides Indore city, there are now municipalities at fourteen places, the chief of which are Barwaha, Mehidpur, and Tarana. A State Engineer was appointed in the time of Maharaja TukojI Rao II, but no regular Public Works department was organized until 1903. It now includes seven divisions, five for district work and two for the city, each division being in charge of a divisional engineer. The department is carrying out a great number of works, including 250 miles of metalled and 40 of unmetalled roads, besides numerous buildings. The foundation of the Holkar State army was laid in 1792, when Ahalya Bai, following the example of Mahadjl Sindhia, engaged the services of Chevalier Dudrenec, a French adventurer, known to natives as Huztir Beg, to raise four regular battalions. Though these battalions were defeated at Lakheri in 1793 by De Boigne, their excellent fighting qualities led to the raising of six fresh battalions, which two years after took part in the battle of Kardla (r795). In 1817 Malhar Rao’s army consisted of 10,000 infantry, 15,000 horse, and 100 field guns, besides Pindaris and other irregulars; but the forces were largely reduced under the Treaty of Mandasor (1818). In 1887 Holkar raised a regi ment of Imperial Service cavalry, which in 1902 was converted into a transport corps with a cavalry escort. The State army at present consists of 210 artillerymen with 18 serviceable guns, 800 cavalry, and 748 infantry. The transport corps is composed of 200 carts, with 300 ponies and an escort of 200 cavalry. The policing of the State was formerly carried out by a special force detached from the .State army, which consisted of three regiments of irregular infantry, a body of r,ioo irregular horse, a mule battery, and a bullock battery. In 1902 a regular police force was organized, which now consists of an Inspector-General with the administrative staff and 10 inspectors, 50 sub-inspectors, 2,135 constables and head constables, and 140 mounted police with 1
The State is divided into seven police districts—Alampur, Rampura, Bhanpura, Mehidpur, Khar- gon, Indore, and Mandleshwar—each under a district inspector. The number of rural police or
is based on the village area, at the ratio of one
to each village of 40 to 130 ploughs, two to one of 130 to 190, and six to one of over 260 ploughs. There were no regular jails in the State before 1875, when Sir T. Madhava Rao built the Central jail in Indore city. In 1878 the manufacture of coarse cotton cloth and other articles was introduced. There are four district jails, one in each
except Nemawar, the prisoners for this district being sent to the Nimar jail.
34« IXDO RE STATE In 1901, 5 per cent, of the people (9-4 males and 0-4 females) were able to read and write. The first definite attempt at encouraging education was made in 1843, during the time of Maharaja Harl Rao Holkar, who at the solicitation of the Resident, Sir Claude Wade, assigned a large State dharmsdla for a school, at the same time levying a small cess on opium chests passing through the city, the proceeds of which were devoted to its upkeep. Four branches were started, for teaching English, Marathi, Hindi, and Persian, and the institution continued to increase in importance. In 1891 the Holkar College w r
were also constructed, which are capable of accommodating 40 students. The College contains on an average 70 students, and is affiliated to the Allahabad University. Scholarships are granted by the State to selected students desirous of pursuing their studies at the Bombay Medical College or elsewhere. Vernacular education in villages was first undertaken in 1865, and 79 schools had been opened by 1868, including 3 for girls. In 1902-3 there were 88 schools for boys with 5,987 pupils, and 3 for girls with 182 pupils. Till 1850 no steps had been taken by the State to provide medical relief for its subjects. In 1852 TukojI Rao II, on receiving full powers, made a yearly grant of Rs. 500 to the Indore Charitable Hospital, the Resident at the same time undertaking to maintain a dispensary in Indore city. Soon after, 4 district dispensaries were opened. By 1891, one hospital and 14 dispensaries had been established, and 34 native Vaidyas and Hakims were employed. There are now 23 district hospitals and dispensaries, and 39 native Vaidyas and Hakims, besides the Central TukojI Rao Hospital and dispensaries in the city. The total number of cases treated in 1902-3 was 186,479, °f which 37,819 were treated in the Tukoji Rao Hospital. A lunatic asylum is super vised by the jail Superintendent. Vaccination is carried on regularly, and 7,869 persons, or 9 per 1,000 of the population, were protected in 1902-3. Indore Zila.—District of the Indore State, Central India, lying between 22 0 22' and 23° 9' N. and 74 0 36' and 76° 15' E., with an area of 1,570 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Gwalior ; on the west by Gwalior, Dhar, and the British pargana of Manpur ; on the south by the Nimar district of Indore : and on the east by Dewas. The district lies mainly on the Mauva plateau, and shares in the general conditions common to that tract. In the south, where it meets the Vindhyan range, it is somewhat cut up by hills. The population decreased from 279,915 in 1891 to 254,423 in 1901, giving a density in the latter year of 162 persons per square mile. The district contains 639 villages and two towns, I n d o r k C i t v (population, 86,686) and G a u t a m p u r a (3,103), besides enclosing the Camp of the Agent to the |
