Revenue Board Consisting of the Whole Council, 2nd May-31st May, 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.
We have received your letters of the 28th March & 26th Ultimo the former accompanying your Proceedings to the end of March.
We approve of your allowing the Remission to the farmers of Currickpore for the loss He sustained to the Inundation of last year as It appear to be agreeable to the adjustment which we authorized the Council of Patna to make with the other farmers of Bahar.
1.2. Extract from Mr Lewis Letter to the Burdwan provincial Council date Midnapore 16th May, 1774
To the severe loss sustained by the Failure of the crops is chiefly to be imported the heavy Ballances which appear due from this [Page 163] Province. In the month of November last I just wrote the Board on that subject and accompany’d [...] letter with an estimate thereof as delivered in by the Zemindars since when I have endeavoured to ascertain what the real loss amounted to. I find their account as I suspected much exaggerated, but what they have been obliged to allow considerable deduction to their Ryotts and have therefore directed the Zemindars to make out a particular account of the allowances __ made which I expect will be ready in a few days. At this season of the Year the revenues have generally been in arrears and the Zemindars expecting my removal daily have notwithstanding my utmost case been more remiss in their payments than they would otherwise.