Page 73 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

tehsil. The object of this restriction had been to prevent the destruction of
timber, required as fuel in the old days when the Indus flotilla still plied on
the river; it had become almost a dead letter, though occasionally used as an
engine of oppression by the tehsil subordinate staff. It was therefore
abolished.
Schedule of Payment
In all the estates assessed by crop-rates, the revenue on the matured crops
was paid after each harvest. In the estates under fixed assessment,
installments had been fixed to meet the wishes of the revenue-payers: in
most cases although the Rabi was the more valuable harvest of the two, they
preferred to pay two equal installments. The dates for the Kharif were from
the 15th of December to the 15th of January, and for the Rabi from the 15
th
of June to the 15th of July. The revenue was to be paid by the 15th of August,
by which date the crops had been sold. The assessment on mangoes was
payable with the Kharif.
Assignments of Land Revenue
The assignments of land revenue in Muzaffargarh were generally very small
sums in favour of religious or charitable institutions. Some of the
assignments were forfeited in previous years, in cases where the institutions
for the upkeep of which the grant was made had long been allowed to fall
into ruin and the assignees were spending the revenue on themselves. After
the promulgation of the West Pakistan Land Reforms Regulation No. 64 of
the year 1959, all assignments of Land Revenue were stopped in the district.
Period of Settlement
The 3 settlement of the District Muzaffargarh was completed in 1920-25
rd
and the period of settlement was fixed for 40 years vide Government memo.
No 2939-R, dated the August 19, 1933. This term was to expire in the year
1956. It was stipulated in the Settlement Report that the settlement would
come to an end before the expiry of 40 years in case the area of this district
was extended to irrigation facilities by means of weir controlled canals. Three
irrigation projects namely: (i) Haveli Project-Rangpur canal (ii) Thal Project
and (iii) Taunsa Barrage Project were introduced in the district in the years
1938-40; 1950-52 and 1956-58 respectively. However, no increase in the
assessment was made at the time of the introduction of Haveli Project-
Rangpur Canal in the areas irrigated by this system. The previous fluctuating
assessment of the last settlement of the year 1920-25 was allowed to
continue and only occupier rate i.e. Abiana of the Rangpur canal was
increased on special orders of the Government. Again in the year 1932, 211
villages from the various assessment circles of Tehsil Muzaffargarh were
transferred from fixed assessment to fluctuating assessment with effect from
Rabi 1933 vide Government memo No. 3040-R, dated December 17, 1932.
The rate of assessment, however, remained the same, the maximum being
Rs. 4 and minimum Re. 1/- per acre of the irrigated area. In some cases,
minimum assessment per acre was as low as 50 paisa. At the advent of the

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