Revenue Board Consisting of the Whole Council, 4th January-22nd February, 1774
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Introductory notes
The early records preserved in the West Bengal State Archive pertains to the administration of the land revenue system by the East India Company. The Company attained the revenue rights of the Province through the Grant of Diwani in 1765. The records in the repositories of the Archive date back to the Select Committee Records in 1768. Between 1769 and 1786 the revenue administration was managed by various intermediate agencies like the Resident at the Durbar, Provincial Council of Revenue, the Calcutta Committee of Revenue. In the early the revenue administration was managed by various intermediary agencies, these committees reflect the early experiments and confusion of the East India Company over revenue collection.
On May 1772, the Court of Directors decided to hand the revenue administration to a board, consisting of the President and four other members, while the title of the supervisor was changed to that of the Collector. The whole council that was constituted, to sit two days in the week, or if necessary more; the members of the council were appointed to act as auditors of accounts, each a week in rotation, The Revenue Board in the Whole Council continued to operate till 1774.
Selection details
On May 1772, the Court of Directors decided to hand the revenue administration to a board, consisting of the President and four other members, while the title of the supervisor was changed to that of the Collector. The whole council that was constituted, to sit two days in the week, or if necessary more; the members of the council were appointed to act as auditors of accounts, each a week in rotation, The Revenue Board in the Whole Council continued to operate till 1774.
1.
1.1.
I have had the honour to answer your Letters under date the 16th and 26th ultimo.
When the Aumeens were deputed by my predecessors unto the Bharbund Pergunnah , they were strictly injoined to [...] on no pretence whatever of any damage done by the River Prior to the last Settlement and it is since that period that the Ground has been swept away. Enclosed you will receive a Hustabood of the Coondy Pergunnah exhibiting the amount of Revenue that may be expected to be collected in the Course of the Season. At the same time I am under the disagreeable Necessity of informing you that from the present prospect of the Ground in Cultivation I have no hopes of realizing the full revenue of this year as the Farmers fall short in their Payments in every kist owing to the Cheapness of Grain, Scarcity of Circulation and the Difficulty of transporting Grain from the Rains breaking up as early . The only Resource under the present Difficulties will be the disposal of the several Zemindarries with Respect to the Securities that the Farmers have given. I cannot point out above one responsible Man that is [Page 10] capable of answering the amount of Revenue that may fall short the greater part are entirely destitute of Means to make good any deficiency, and from the Knowledge I now have of the Inhabitants, I can affirm there will be no purchasers on the Spot for the Lands you may think expedient to expose for Sale. As I shall take particular care to secure every Rupee that is collected from the Country, in Conformity to your orders of the 29th October, for Government, I have Reason to believe that none will be realized from the present Farmers, than by other mode, for as the Riots are in some degree attached to them they will not be so liable to desert from their Habitations.
1.2. Agreed to send him the following answer
We received your Letter of the 21st ultimo enclosing a Hustabood of the Pergunnah of Coondy.
We are still of opinion that the Claim of the Farmers of Baharbund for a deduction on account the Article of Nudde Shecust, considering the easy Terms of his [...] is an unreasonable demand we have it however to be adjusted at the close of the present Bengall year by the provincial Council [Page 11] at Dinagepore. We are sorry to find by the Hustabood of Coondy that the Revenue of that Pergunnah will fall so short of the public Settlement We can only recommend your realizing the utmost you can collect from the Lands, and submitting the state of the District more at large, at the Expiration of the Bengall year, through the Chanell of the Council of Revenue at Dinagepore.
Fort William The 4th January 1774We are & ca