Paddy Cultivation – A Key Determinant of Land Revenue Assessment and Inland Water Resource Management in Madras Presidency (1902-1956)

Paddy Cultivation – A Key Determinant of Land Revenue Assessment and Inland Water Resource Management in Madras Presidency (1902-1956)

Introduction

          The History of World Civilizations has taught us that, the creative intelligence of humans manifesting through arts and aesthetics   have always been concomitant with the surplus availability of the basic needs viz., Food, Clothing and Shelter. Of the three needs for human survival, Food gains immense significance. A society facing a huge resource deficit that creates a “resource competition” among men and women can never think of peace and harmony. Apparently the primary responsibilities of the States since the beginning of their evolution have dealt with stabilizing a consistent mode of Food Production by way of a neatly woven system of Agricultural taxes (Land Revenue) and the paramount importance that has been attached to the maintenance of Inland Water Resource management. In Tamil Culture the Water, Food Production and Agriculturists have been glorified. The ‘Sacred Kural’ dating to 2^nd Century BC popularly called ‘Thirukkural’ a book of couplets composed by sage Thiruvalluvar hails water as the basis of life of this world.   Further in ancient text like “Pura Naanooru”, (Four Hundred verses on socio-political life) water management have been given due importance as a sovereign function that is complimented by Paddy Cultivation. Hence in Tamil Culture, the paddy cultivation and inland water resource management have been an essential function of the State and the same must be in the reset of India too. It is also worth mentioning that famines are associated with lack of Food and Water and hence the Governments regardless of their political identity have always attached paramount importance to Inland Water Resource Management and Paddy Cultivation. Numerous folk songs have been sung in Tamil on Paddy Sowing, Irrigation, Cultivation and Paddy harvest. The same followed suit in Colonial Period during British Rule with their scientific knowledge of soil chemistry, cadastral survey, levy of a systematic Land Revenue and above all the legal arrangements they made to preserve inland water resources. There was land that was earmarked exclusively as “Paddy lands” in different parts of South India and in Madras Presidency, in particular. Thanjavur, called the Granary of the South is mainly because of this inland water management and the state support for Paddy Cultivation.

Enough getting romantic of the past, we need to examine the present with the wealth of information of the past on Paddy Cultivation and Inland Water Resource management on the following vital and valid realities:-

1.    That paddy production is steadily getting reduced in those areas called as “exclusive paddy land” that is complimented by

2.    The disappearance of  inland water resources and supply channels with a far reaching impact on

3.    Increasing Food and Water insecurity.

          With the above three present day situations the following issues require to be examined in depth :

1.    What were the Political and Administrative Arrangements made by the Erstwhile Government of India in Madras Presidency (1902-1956) to make paddy Cultivation as sustainable means of Agriculture?

2.    To what extent Inland Water resource Management augmented Paddy Cultivation in erstwhile Madras Presidency (1902-1956)that includes the total Land Revenue Collection inclusive of  ‘Water Cess and the Betterment Levy Contribution’

3.     The trajectory of depletion of the Inland Water Resources and its consequential impact on Paddy Cultivation in select locations of four agro-climatic zones of the erstwhile Madras  Presidency ( 1956 to 2000) and

4.    Identify the vital areas of policy advocacy for restoring Paddy Cultivation and inland water resource management.

Hypotheses

          In order to fix up the research questions for a precise understanding, the following Hypotheses are could be also validated:-

1.    Paddy Cultivation in Madras Presidency  is dependent on the Inland Water Resource management

2.    Paddy Cultivation is the key factor for Land Revenue Assessment in Madras Presidency and

3.    The Inland Water Resource mismanagement had an impact in Paddy Cultivation in the Madras Presidency.

    A research on the above line should be certainly beneficial to the country because The whole effort while taking lessons from the past tend to aaddress the issue of Food Security through Augmenting Inland Water resources Paddy Cultivation, the need of the hour.