Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/151

This page needs to be proofread.



NADIIA. 139 for which a balance-sheet is available, was £121,119; in 1850-51, it had risen to £139,755; and in 1870–71, to £ 178,379. In 1882–83, the six main items of Government revenue aggregated £ 169,132, made up as follows:-Land revenue, £107,032; excise, £11,708; stamps, £34,569; registration, £2764; road cess, £6871; municipal taxes, £6188. The expenditure has increased in a still greater ratio than the revenue. In 1809, the net expenditure on civil administration was £17,917; in 1850, it had risen (exclusive of police expenditure) to £29,762 ; in 1870, it had further increased to £58,410, also excluding police. In 1882-83, the total cost of the District officials and police amounted to £34, 360. While the Government net revenue in 1870 was one-third more than it was in 1809, the net expenditure increased more than threefold in the same period. Sub-division of property has gone on rapidly under British rule. In 1790, the number of estates in the District was 261, held by 205 proprietors, paying a total land-tax of £135,993, the average payment from each estate being £521, and from each proprietor, £663. In 1883-84, the total number of estates was 2806, held by 10,704 proprietors; average payment from each estate, £32, os. 4 d., and from each proprietor, £8, ios. 3d. Protection to person and property has steadily increased. In 1793 there was only i civil court and i covenanted English officer in Nadiya; in isoo there were 39 courts and 2 covenanted officers; and in 1883 the nunber of magisterial courts was 26, and of revenue and civil courts, 18, with 4 covenanted officers. For administrative and police purposes, the District is divided into six Sub-divisions and thirty police circles (thánús), as follows :-(1) Krishnagar or head-quarters Subdivision, comprising the six thánás of Krishnagar, Kálíganj, Lakshipárá, Chaprá, Krishnaganj, and Hánskhálí; (2) Ránághát Sub-division, comprising the four thánás of Ránághát, Sántipur, Chágdah, and Haringhátá; (3) Bángáon (Bongong) Sub-division, comprising the five thánás of Bangáon, Maheshpur, Ganapota, Sarsha, and Gáighátá; (4) Kushtiá Sub-division, comprising the six thánás of Kushtia, Naupárá, D Bhadulia, Kumárkháli, and Bhaluka; (5) Mihrpur Sub-division, comprising the four thánás of Mihrpur, Karimpur, Gangni, and Tehatta; and (6) Chuádángá Sub-division, comprising the five thánás of Chuádángá, Damurhuda, Alamdángá, Kálupol, and Jábunnagar. The regular police force in 1883 consisted of 695 officers and men, including 262 employed in municipal or town duties, maintained at a total cost of £11,219. There is also a rural police or village watch numbering 3494 men, maintained by the landholders and villagers or by rent-free grants of service (chákrán) lands, at an estimated cost of £16,247. The total strength of the police of all classes and ranks was, therefore, 4189, or i man to every 481 of the population, maintained at a total estimated cost of £27,466, equal to a charge of £8, IS. 4d. per square mile of