Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/516



504 OUDH. day, subject to a few minor modifications. The option of reverting to the Hindu or Muharnmadan law of succession, or to the ancient custom of the family, has been granted to every tálukdir, subject to a record in the Oudh Estates List of the rule applicable to each estate; but the right to bequeath is still retained. The detailed operations for giving effect to this Settlement were carried out by a revenue survey, begun in 1860, and finished in 1871. They resulted in increasing the amount of the summary assessment made immediately after annexation by 38 per cent. This survey was conducted both by villages and by fields. Out of the total area of the Province, which amounts to 24,246 square miles according to the latest returns, the entire assessed area of 23,239 square miles has been surveyed by fields, at an average cost of £3, 178. 4d. per field; and 23,101'12 square miles have been surveyed by villages, at a cost of about £4, 6s. per village. The total revenue assessed upon the area of 23,239 square miles amounts (1883–84) to £1,449,135, showing an average rate of £62, 75. per square mile. This is the estimated land revenue, according to Settlement returns. The actual demand and the actual receipts depend upon many circumstances, which vary year by year. In 1883-84, the actual demand was £1,416,075, and the actual receipts £1,405,048. The estates on the revenue roll are divided into three classes (1) those held under the tálukdári rules described above, covering 60 per cent. of the area of the Province ; (2) those held by ordinary zamindári tenure, covering about 20 per cent. of the area ; and (3) those held by pattidári and bházachára communities and in fee-simple or revenue-free, covering the remaining 20 per cent. of the area. There are altogether 430 tálukdárs in the Province, of whom more than one-half, with an area of about 2 million acres, hold their estates under the rule of primogeniture. The zamindári estates, locally known by the name of mufrid, may be the undivided property of a single owner; but far more commonly they are owned by a coparcenary community, who regard themselves as descendants of a common ancestor. In the latter case, the whole is sometimes shared in common; and sonetimes each member of the comniunity looks after his own share only, leaving the common concerns to be managed by a lambardár, or head-man, who is responsible to Government for the revenuc. In 1883 the number of zamindári estates was 1340, besides 3007 zamindári communities cultivating in common. Pattidári estates numbered 1032, and bhájachára estates 3687. Revenue-freeestates numbered 1046; fec-simple estates, 52; while there were 22 holdings under the Waste Land Rules. The sub-tenures under these estates may be classified under five headings (1) sub-settled villages, comprised within tálukdání estates, which have obtained recognition under the Oudh Sub-Settlement Act of 1866, and which cover 900,000 acres; (2) lands covering 450,000 acres held by