K. Usha Kumary*

* Research Scholar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli.
Abstract
Kanyakumari has been an integral part of Tamil Nadu with the Pandian Kingdom from time immemorial. The system of Land Revenue administration prevailing in Kanyakumari District was found to be entirely different from the one existing in the rest of the Tamil Nadu. The Land revenue assessment was fixed and levied with reference to the fertility of soil, taram, sort and location of the land. Various measures of land reforms have been introduced after independence and are being implemented to bring about a fair economic system which would also serve to maximum production and lead to national prosperity.
Kanyakumari has been an integral part of Tamil Nadu with the Pandian Kingdom from time immemorial.1 The changes in royal power were very few and of short durations. The Tamil system of land administration in which the State was the undisputed owner of all lands, was in practice in Kanyakumari also. The experiments and experiences of Travancore State, which had been well-established in Kerala proper2 never became permanently forceful in Kanyakumari.
Soon after the formation of the district, the question of survey and the maintenance of the survey of records arose. An Assistant Director of the Survey and Land Records Department was deputed by the Government for investigation. Based on his opinion and recommendation, the Government ordered a survey of the whole district especially in view of the fact that the previous survey was done some sixty years ago.
The system of Land Revenue administration prevailing in Kanyakumari District was found to be entirely different from the one existing in the rest of the Tamil Nadu. In the ryotwari area of Tamil Nadu, the land revenue assessment was fixed and levied with reference to the fertility of soil, taram, sort and location of the land. A rough rate of Rs.2/- was being charged by the erstwhile Travancore Government in the territory of Kanyakumari District. In order to replace the rough rate of levy of assessment by different rates of assessment with reference to the nature of the soil, taram3, sort and location of the land according to the Ryotwari Settlement Act, 1964, was passed.4
Re-survey was conducted for the purpose of effecting ryotwari settlement, in the district and it was completed in 1967. A settlement notification, incorporating the principles set out in the settlement notification for Tirunelveli District was issued.5 Under this notification, the lands were classified as dry, wet and manavari6 and the soils were divided into different classes. The rate of assessment was also set out for each sort of soil. The wet lands were delimited with the Officer and Settlement Officer. The wet-lands were delimited with reference to the commandability of the irrigation sources. Appropriate assessment rates were fixed taking into account the taram, sort and classification of the soil. Ryotwari rates of assessment have been brought into force in the transferred territory from Falsi 13807  onwards, after due publicity by means of notifications.
The villages in Kanyakumari District were found to be unwidely and large and much difficulty was experienced in administering them. Seventeen villages which were very large were split up into two villages each and separate accounts were prepared. The total number of villages in Kanyakumari District is now 81 as against 64 that existed previously.8
In this area, there is a separate village service establishment comprising of Village Officers in the cadre of Assistants and Junior Assistants. They maintain the accounts in a separate office for each village. They are also liable to be transferred to other villages.
In the transferred territory of Kanyakumari District, there were some special features of revenue payable by the ryots to the intermediaries mainly connected with the temples and the family of Rajah of Travancore on certain items of work connected with the religious services. In order to stop such payments, the following enactments were passed and implemented in Kanyakumari District and Shencottah Taluk of Tirunelveli District.
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Tiruvanandapuram held certain lands known as ‘Sree Pandaravaka lands’ in Kanyakumari District.9 The income derived from these lands was used for the upkeep of certain temples maintained by Sri Padmanabhaswamy Devasthanam. This Act sought for the acquisition of the rights over these lands with effect from the appointed day (viz.,) 1 March 1965 and grant of ryotwari patta to the tenants after due payment of compensation to the temples. All the applications received under Section 8 (1) of the Act have been disposed of the implementation of the Act is completely over.
The traditional land owners are called Jenmies.10 They were collecting certain amount called Jenmikanam from the Kudiyans.11 This Act was passed to extinguish this right with effect from 16th March 1965 on payment of compensation collected from the Kudiyans. In all the 265 cases, compensation and the tasdic allowance have been determined.
Land is an essential source of production.12 Prevention of inequitable distribution of wealth has been accepted principle of the Government in order to ensure social  and economic justice among the people. With this view, various measures of land reforms have been introduced immediately after independence and are being implemented to bring about a fair economic system which would also serve to maximize production and lead to national prosperity. Under the Prime Minister’s New Twenty Point Economic Programme 198613  also, ‘Enforcement of Land Reforms’ has been given the fifth place.
The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Act came into force with effect from 6 April 1930. In the beginning ceiling area for a family of five members was fixed at 30 acres with an allowance of five acres of land  for each additional member in the family, subject to overall ceiling area of 6 acres. Subsequently, the ceiling was reduced to 15 acres per family of five members with effect from, 15 February 1970. In addition to this, female members were allowed to hold 10 acres as Stridhana if they held such lands on the date of commencement of the Act. However, a family cannot hold more than 30 acres.14 The lands found to be in excess of the ceiling area are acquired as surplus by the Government. The surplus lands are being distributed among landless agricultural labourers and others.15
In the district of Kanyakumari alone, an extent of 409 acres of land was notified as surplus up to 31 October 1986. Out of this, an extent of 299 acres of land has been assigned to 244 eligible persons. Out of the above extent, an extent of 75 acres has been assigned to 47 persons belonging to scheduled castes and the remaining extent of 224 acres has been assigned to 197 persons belonging to other categories.
The two objectives envisaged in the Five Year Plan were16
1)  To remove such impeliments towards agricultural production as arose from the agrarian structure inherited from the past, and
2) To eliminate all elements of exploitation and social injustice within the agrarian system and provide security to the tiller of the soil and secure equality of status and opportunity to all sections of the rural population.
In order to achieve the above two objectives, tenancy legislations were enacted in the State. Unless the tenants are identified, the benefits received from the various tenancy legislations would not reach the proper persons. Therefore it was thought necessary to find out the real tenants and record their rights in the land so as to enable them to get maximum benefits from the Acts passed by the Government and financial credit for improving agricultural production. Hence the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Lands Record of Tenancy Rights Act, 1969 was passed. This Act provides for the preparation and maintenance of Record of Tenancy for the preparation and maintenance of Record of Tenancy Rights in respect of agricultural lands in the State. The Act was enacted with a view to prepare a complete record of tenancy rights to protect the interests of tenants. The Act has been implemented in the entire State, except certain villages in which settlement operations are pending. The record of Tenancy Rights duly approved by the Record Officer has been published both in Tamil Nadu Government Gazette and also in the respective District Gazette. A copy of this permanent record is kept safe in Taluk Offices and is also made available for perusal of the tenants. Certified copy of this record is also granted to the tenants, on application as and when necessary.
The Tamil Nadu occupants of Kudiyiruppu Acts provide for the conferment of ownership rights on agriculturists, agricultural labourers and rural artisans for their house-sites. The homestead17 are assigned free from cost and free from all encumbrances. Compensation is paid by the Governent to the owner of the land. Alienation of the site for ten years is prohibited under the Kudiyiruppu Act of 1971. 180217 persons have been granted pattas up to 30 November 1988 in Tamil Nadu State.
In Kanyakumari District, 944 persons were given patta till 30 November 1988 consisting of 269 persons of Scheduled Castes, 291 persons of Backward Classes and 434 persons of other Communities. Similar action is being taken under the Tamil Nadu Rural Artisan Act 1976. Under this Act, 407 persons have been granted pattas for the whole State up to 30 November 1988.
Wages for employment in Agriculture Sector – The Minimum Wages Act, 1948
The provisions of the Minimum Wages Act 1948 are being implemented with a view to fix minimum rates of wages for employment in agriculture and works ancillary thereto. This Act is being implemented throughout the State of Tamil Nadu, except a few taluks covering East Thanjavur District, where the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourer’s Fair Act, 1969 are in force.
Collectors, District Revenue Officers, Revenue Divisional Officers, Taluk Tahsildars, Deputy Tahsildars and Revenue Inspectors have been appointed as Inspectors under Section 19(1) of the Minimum Wages Act 1948. The review of progress in the implementation of the Act is made at the level of Government every month. The rates of minimum wages of employment in agriculture and works ancillary are fixed by Government from time to time. Government of Tamil Nadu have fixed the rates with effect from 5 April 1983.18
The Tamil Nadu Cultivating Tenants Protection Act, 1955  provides that no cultivating tenant shall be evicted form his holdings except for non-payment of rent, doing any act injurious to the land and failure to cultivate the crops. Earlier, disputes under this Act were settled by Revenue Divisional Officers. But, tangible progress cannot be shown because of their multifarious functions. These functions are now being carried out by eleven Revenue Courts presided over by Deputy Collectors constituted exclusively for this purpose.
Bhoodan and Gramdhan
Bhoodan and Gramdhan movement is a Socio-political movement with the Sarvodaya ideologies. Unlike other measures, it aims at removing inequalities in the ownership of land through non-violent and non-coercive means. Bhoodan is a voluntary Act,19 of land owners donating land for distribution among landless poor and Gramdhan is the conceptional expansion of  Bhoodan with the aim of ringing the trusteeship of landed property (i.e.) transfer of ownership of land to village community.
Land donated for Gramdhan in a Gramdhan village includes any land in such village donated for the Bhoodan Yagna and granted under Sub Section 1 of Section 19 to the Sarvodaya Panchayat constituted for the village. Gramdhan village means any revenue village of villages or part or parts not less than two thirds of the number of persons residing or owning lands donated all their lands for Gramdhan or not less than one half of the total extent of the lands owned by persons residing in such villages or  part or parts thereof is donated by persons residing or owing lands therein donationg all their lands for Gramdhan and which the Government may, by notification, declare to be a Gramdhan village.20 Sarvodaya Panchayat means the Sarvodaya Panchayat constituted for a Gramdhan village.
In Kanyakumari District, the first and foremost village donated and declared under Gramdhan is Panikulam H/O.21 Kottaram and Kanyakumari villages in Agasthiswaam taluk. In both these villags 36 pattadars in the hamlet signed the declaration forms No. 1 and the extent covered under Gramdhan is 9.64 acres. The inhabitants of these hamlets are mainly Harijans.22
Gramdhan villages are given preference to other villages in executing developmental Programmes. The Gramdhan village known as Narikulam Harijan Colony23 is accordingly given a preferential treatment and its requirements have been ascertained and furnished to the Panchayat Union Commissioner, Agasthiswaram for execution.
References
1.    K. A. Nilakanda Sastri, A History of South India, Madras, 1976, p. 123
2.     M. Gopalakrishanan, Kanyakumari District Gazetteer, Madras, 1995, p. 593
3.     Ibid.
4.    The Ryotwari Settlement Act, 1964, Act 30/64.
5.     G.O. Ms. No. 297, Revenue dated 14 February 1966
6.     M. Gopalakrishanan, Op. cit., p. 593
7.     Ibid.
8.    Ibid., p. 48
9.    Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari Act 31/65
10.     K. A. Nilakanda Sastri, Op.cit., p. 133
11.    District Hand Books, Kanyakumari District, p. 22
12.     Report on District Revenue Administration 1980,                    p. 31
13.     M. Gopalakrishanan, Op. cit., p. 597
14.    Ibid., p. 201
15.    The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Rules, 1965
16.     The Tamil Nady Agricultural Lands – Tamil Nadu Act No 10/69
17.     M. Gopalakrishanan, Op. cit., p. 600
18.     G.O. Ms. No. 866, Labour and Employment Department, dated 2 April 1983.
19.     M. Gopalakrishanan, Op. cit., p. 603
20.     K. A. Nilakanda Sastri, Op.cit., p. 131.
21.    M. Gopalakrishanan, Op. cit., p. 31.
22.    A. A. Razak, Op. cit, p. 107.
23.     Ibid.

Leave a Reply