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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 8, p. 168.

168 BIDAR DISTRICT population at the Census of igol showed .a decrease of 15 per cent., largely due to famine, while the loss of cattle was estimated at more than one-half. The total cost of the famine amounted to nearly 3 lakhs. There are two subdivisions in the District. One, consisting of the taluks of Udgir, Varval Rajcira, and Nilanga, is placed in charge of the Second Talukdar ; and the other, comprising the Administration. taluks of Bidar and Karamilngi, is under the Third Talukdar, the First Talukdar exercising a general supervision over their work. Each taluk is under a tahsildar. The District civil court is under a Civil judge styled the Nazini-i- 7iwani. There are seven subordinate civil courts, each under a tahsildar. The First Talukdar is the chief magistrate of the District, and the Civil judge is also a joint magistrate, who exercises powers during the absence of the First Talukdar from head-quarters. The Second and Third Talukdars and the tahsildcirs exercise second- and third-class magisterial powers. There is not much serious crime in ordinary years; dacoities vary according to the state of the season. No information is available regarding the revenue history of the District. According to the old system, villages were farmed out to contractors who received r-I annas per rupee for collection. In 1866 this system was abolished throughout the Nizam's Dominions, and administration by District officials was introduced. In 1885 the Dis- trict was surveyed and settled for fifteen years. The average assessment on `dry' land is Rs. z (maximum Rs. 3, minimum Rs. 1-4), and on ` wet' land Rs. 8 (maximum Rs. 15, minimum RS. 2-8). The land revenue and the total revenue of the District are given below, in thousands of rupees :- -_ -i88c,-__. __189`. 1goi. I ego -_ Land revenue . 10,04 10,96 10,94 10,22 Total revenue . 13,24 1554 15,30 13:89 A local cess of one anna per rupee is levied on the land revenue, three pies of which are set apart for local purposes. There is a Dis trict board at Bidar, and six tahik boards have also been formed. The District board supervises the working of the tdluk boards as well as that of the municipality of Bidar. The total expenditure of these boards in 1901 was Rs. 12,200. There is a small conservancy establishment at each of the taluk head-quarters. The First Talukdar is the head of the District police, with a Super- intendent (Mohtamim) as his executive deputy. There are 27 police stations in the District, and the force consists of 446 constables, 75 subordinate officers, and 52 mounted police under 7 inspectors. There is also a small special police force called Rakhwali. The District jail