68 SOCIAL SCIENTIST 4 Marx and Engeh,Selecfed Works, Moscow 1970, Volume 3, p 158. 5 Karl Marx, Capital, Vol I, p 82, footnote. 6 The development of terrace cultivation is confronted with complex problems. Scarcity of suitable land for terracing is not the only factor impeding its development. Often it is a very costly and lengthy affair and without government initiative terrace cultivation cannot forge ahead on private initiative. The experience ofMokokchung district ofNagaland is as follows: "Construction of terraces against the hill slopes is a very costly affair. The average cost per acre of terrace construction has been estimated at Rs 1,200 per acre. During the Fourth Plan 6,665 acres are proposed to be developed under the subsidy scheme involving an expenditure of Rs 20 lakhs...../' But this is not all; terracing experts on fixed payments ofRs. 300 per month were to remain engaged in the interior parts of the country to construct terraced fields for 3 years. At the end of the period the terraced fields are given over to the owners for continuous cultivation. In Tuensang and Mokokchung districts terrace cultivation is attracting attention. During the 3rd Plan 12,733 acres of land were brought under terrace cultivation atacostofRs 11.90 lakhs. 7 Author's own observations after numerous trips to Cherrapunji area 8 B K Roy Burman, op.cit., p 194-5. 9 Ibid )0 Ibid., p 307. n The reason why the Dallas practise shifting cultivation is as follows: "The Daflas of the village practise bofh shifting and wet cultivation. The local term for shifting cultivation is Tump. According to the villagers, the nature of the terrain, depth of the soil and lack of irrigation facilities are mainly responsible for shifting cultivation. Economic factors also are partly responsible; wet rice cultivation requires employment of more hands, which only the richer persons in the village can afford. Hence, whereas the richer farmers have taken to wet rice cultivation at least partially, the poorer ones have not been able to do so. Attachment to tradition is another factor to conjure with; but it appears that there is no religious sanction in this matter. Individual households do not generally cultivate plots in complete isolation. Frequently 4 to 5 households join together to clear a particular area and within that area, different plots are cultivated by different households." (Ibid. p 308) 12 Marx & Engeh Selected Works, p 324. 13 B K Roy Burman, op. cit., p 290. 14 Ibid: 15 There are of course exceptions to the rule. The natural impetus for improving land and cultivation is not always effective. In Lawngtiai Village of Mizoram it has been found that not much has been done in the field of land improvement. So far only fruit gardens and a few plots converted to terraced land stand as witness for the people's efforts to improve the land. Even these do not appear to have much impact on the economy of the village. Although the cultivation of fruits in the terraced land is successful, the absence of marketing facilities robs it of much of its economic significance... ..." B K Roy Burman op.cit., p 199. ie Ibid., p 203.