t.r6 NIMAR DISTRICT
cultivators grew up. In the less advanced tracts, the old Rajput or
Bhilala chieftains occupied the position of the mandloi. Under the
Muhammadans Nimar attained a high degree of prosperity; and
although the period of Maratha administration was characterized by
reckless extortion and oppression, the framework of the revenue system
was not seriously impaired. Owing to changes in the District area, the
revenue demand of the earlier settlements cannot be compared with
that now existing. The first settlements were effected by officers who
were ignorant of local conditions, and made no allowance for the
removal of the market for produce furnished by the troops which had
previously garrisoned the District. In r85r, after several short-term
assessments, an attempt was made to settle the revenue with the body
of village cultivators and to confer on them proprietary rights, the
hereditary ,~dtel and headman of the village being reduced to the posi-
tion of a mere rent collector. This system generally failed, as most of
the village communities, having no experience of the system or clear
understanding of the proposals made, refused to accept them, and the
villages were settled either with the hereditary headmen, with the old
superior revenue officials, or with strangers. In certain areas the
settlement was not carried out at all owing to the Mutiny. After
Nimar was transferred to the Central Provinces, it was determined, in
view of the unsatisfactory nature of the previous settlement, to make
a fresh investigation of tenures for the whole District. A new twenty
years' settlement was accordingly completed in 1868-9 by Captain
Forsyth, whose report on Nimar may be specially mentioned for its
excellence. The net revenue was fixed at 1-81 lakhs. The term of
the old assessment was, however, allowed to expire, and the new settle-
ment did not come into force until 1875. Proprietary rights were
conferred on the headmen; but in view of the fact that in many cases
the previous settlement had been made direct with the body of culti-
vators, many of these received the malik-makbfaza tenure, or right of
ownership in their individual holdings, while an occupancy right was
conferred on all other tenants. On the expiry of Captain Forsyth's
settlement, the District was reassessed during the years 1895-8. The
net revenue was raised to 2.89 lakhs, or by 52 per cent., the average
revenue incidence per acre being R. o-9 (maximum Rs. i-r-8,
minimum R. o-4-9), and that of the rental R. o-i i-8 (maximum
Rs. r-9-4, minimum R. o-6). The term of the new settlement is
fourteen or fifteen years over most of the District.
The receipts of land and total revenue for a series of years are shown
in the table on the next page, in thousands of rupees. The increase
in the land revenue receipts is largely due to the colonization of
land by Government.
The management of local affairs outside municipal areas is entrusted
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