Land Tenure System in Himachal Pradesh

 Land Tenure System in Himachal Pradesh :

Introduction
“There is only one fundamental method of improving village life – namely, the introduction of a system of peasant proprietorship under which the tiller of the soil is himself the owner of it and pays revenues direct to the government without the intervention of any zamindar or talukdar.”
Land in every society, is most important natural resource which is needed for creation of material wealth. From it we get everything that we use or value, whether it be food, clothing, shelter, fuel, metal or precious stones. We live on land and die on land, even after death our ashes are committed to land. The availability of land is the key to human existence, and its distribution and use is of vital importance.

Types of land tenure system in Himachal Pradesh were :

Zamindari System:
In Zamindari System the land popularly referred as estate was held by the person known as ‘landlord’ free of charge from the government. He was responsible for the payment of land revenue. Landlords never cultivated themselves the land owned by them but rented it out to the cultivators. The zamindari system is known as ‘absentee landlordism’ where the whole village was under one landlord. The persons interested can work in the zamindar's land as tenant / labourer based on the agreement with the zamindar.

Jagirdari System :
It is similar to zamindari system. The jagirdari system was also in existence in northern region of the country which after independence turned out to be known as the state of Himachal Pradesh. The jagirdar is powered to control the unproductive masses of village by engaging them in agricultural activities; it is usually a family management.

Mahalwari System :
William Bentinck initiated Mahalwari System in Agra and Oudh and which later extended to Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. The village communities held the village commonly and it was joint responsibility of these communities to make payments of the land revenue and thus land ownership is held as joint ownership with the village body and can be cultivated by tenants who can pay cash / kind / share.

Ryotwari System :
It took birth in 1792 in Madras at the hands of Caption Read and Thomas Menro and was later extended to other states. In Ryotwari system cultivator is bound to pay land revenue to the Government and there was no intermediary between him and state. The cultivator is known as ‘Ryot’ entitled to full rights regarding sale, transfer and leasing of land and could not be evicted from the land as long as he pays the land revenue. Later Ryotwari system was extended to other states including Bombay Presidency and northern region of colonial India including today’s state of Himachal Pradesh.

Begar system :
Begar means forced labour or employing anyone without remuneration. When the British established their control over India, this system prevailed in the states as well as British India. In Shimla and Punjab Hill States, the demand extended to the compulsory service of the subjects to their chiefs or the Government. The compulsory service rendered was of several kinds. First, there was the road begar or compulsory porterage on the roads. Working for years in chief’s home for years , cannot do anything without his master permission ,working in agri fields, do household work etc.

Bethu System :
The Bethu System of serfdom was prevalent in most of the erstwhile Shimla Hill States. Bethu was the hereditary tiller of the state’s land from times immemorial; he cultivated a portion for his subsistence and the remaining portion he cultivated on behalf of the raja who received the profits. In addition he had some additional responsibilities for carrying loads.

Bhaichara Tenure :
In major part of the state, bhaichara tenure prevailed. In such a system land was held in severalty in which one’s customary share once existed, but had now disappeared. The total revenue which a land holder paid became the sole measure of the right and liability.

Pattadari Tenure :
Contrary to bhaichara, in pattadari tenure, land was divided and held in severalty by the different proprietors, according to ancestral or other customary shares of the revenue while all were jointly responsible in the vent of any one shareholder being unable to fulfill his obligations to the Government. In pattadari tenure, the share regulated the revenue payable, whereas in bhaichara tenure the revenue payable regulated the share.

Before Independence people were forced to adopt the land tenure system, if they not agreed to agreement's terms and conditions , evacuated from their land. So they had no alternate but to accept the above system which prevailed that time.

By: Pooja Sharda