Page 54 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

managed the collection of the revenue themselves through agents or kardars.
Till Sawan Mal's time, the system of Kan or appraisement of the crop was the
one generally followed.
The fiscal history of Muzaffargarh District begins from the administration of
Diwan Sawan Mal, the Governor of the Sikh regime who held the Province of
Multan, including Muzaffargarh District, under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He is
remembered as a builder of canals and wells. Under Diwan Sawal Mal, there
was a great deal of personal interference with the cultivators. If one man did
not cultivate his land it was given to another who did. His method of
assessment in the irrigated parts of the district was to take the share of the
produce usually one quarter, which he sold to the cultivators at commutation
prices fixed for each harvest, except in the estates near Multan town from
where the share was taken in kind. In addition to the revenue, a large
number of cesses was also imposed but remitted, either wholly or in part
except in good seasons. The pitch of land revenue was low to begin with but
gradually the assessment was raised as and when circumstances justified it.
He adhered to the ancient rate of Government share but where possible, he
raised the revenue by adding cesses. At the time of annexation, it was found
that where the rate of the Government share was high, cesses were few; and
where the rate was low, the cesses were many. Cash rates, which varied from
village to village were imposed on cash crops such as cane and tobacco. In
the Thal where the cost of the division of the produce of the scattered wells
would have been out of all proportions to the amount realised, a cash
assessment was placed on each well, the normal being Rs. 12 recovered in
installments of Rs. 5 in the Kharif and Rs. 7 in the Rabi. The Diwan's
assessment was heavier than any of his predecessors, but it had the
advantages of being based on actual, outturns and actual prices. The names
of some of the then prevalent cesses are as under:
(1) Nazar Mukadami: This was levied when the crop was usually
good; and the kardar thought that government
should share the prosperity.
(2) Shukrana This fee was levied when the price rose, much
after the rate fixed for commuting the grain into
cash.
(3) Nazar Mocharrir This was levied when the crops were weighted.

(4) Frui Korawa This consisted of fines on cattle tress-passing,
and was levied by the watchmen engaged to
keep watch on crops while ripening.
The names of some of other cesses, taxes, or fees are

(1) Nazaranas (2) Dubiri (3) Mohasil (4) Bhara

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