74
BRITISH B UNDFLKHAND
condition of the District in 1876. After much discussion the Jhansi
Encumbered Estates Act (XVI of 1882) was passed, and a Special
judge was empowered to examine claims and reduce excessive interest.
The sale of a whole estate operated as a discharge in bankruptcy to
extinguish all debts due. Many estates were cleared by the sale of
a portion only. A striking feature of the proceedings was the rapid
increase in the value of land.
The experiment, though apparently successful, had no lasting effect.
Bundelkhand suffered from another series of bad years, commencing
with rust and blight in 1892-3, excessive rain in 1894, and drought in
1895 and 1896. Even in Banda, where the last settlement was made,
not on actual 'assets,' but on a fair average area of cultivation, the
population decreased by ro-1 per cent. between 1891 and 19o1. Debt
had become serious in all parts of the tract. The Jhansi legislation has
therefore been revived, with modifications suggested by the experience
gained, in (United Provinces) Act I of 1903, which has been applied to
the whole of British Bundelkhand. In addition to this, two new safe-
guards have been adopted. By (United Provinces) Act II of x903
permanent alienations of land are forbidden where the alienor is
a member of one of certain agricultural tribes, unless in favour of
another member of the same tribe, or where both parties reside in
the same District and are both members of agricultural tribes. Except
where permanent alienation is allowed, mortgages and leases are subject
to the condition that possession of the land involved cannot be trans-
ferred for more than twenty years. Sales in execution of decrees passed
by civil or revenue courts (other than those of the Special judges who
have been appointed) are forbidden, but such decrees may be liquidated
by usufructuary mortgages for terms not exceeding twenty years. Large
reductions of revenue have been made, and the assessment of all parts
of Bundelkhand is being revised. The new demand, instead of being
fixed for thirty years, will be liable to further revision whenever the
cultivated area fluctuates considerably.
[V. A. Smith, 'History of Bundelkhand,' ,journal, Asiatic Society of
Bengal (1881), p. r ; A. Cunningham, Archaeological Survey Reports,
vols. vii and xxi ; C. A. Silberrad, journal, Asiatic Society of Bengal
(1902), p. 99; E. G. Jenkinson, Settlement Report of jhdnsi (1871);
A. Cadell, Settlement Report of Bctnda (1881).]
Bundelkhand Agency.=A collection of Native States in the
Central India Agency, under a Political Agent, lying between 23 49'
and 26° 18' N. and 78° 11' and 81° 3' E., with an area of about 9,852
square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Jalaun, Hamirpur,
and Banda Districts of the United Provinces; on the south by the
Saugor and Damoh Districts of the Central Provinces ; on the east by
the Baghelkhand Agency ; and on the west by the Jhansi District of
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