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(x) A number of Rulers have houses in New Delhi. Most of these were constructed on plots of land allotted on special terms and conditions when New Delhi was built. The Rulers have claimed these houses but the question whether these houses should be treated as the Rulers' private property or State property is still under consideration as also the question of their acquisition for use by the Government of India.
159. Some of the special arrangements made for management of important properties in States may be mentioned:
(i) Indore Ahalyabai's Charities.—The Khasgi properties of His Highness the Maharaja of Indore and the income from Khasgi which had been hitherto utilised for Maharai Ahalyabai's Charities all over India and for the maintenance of allowances to the senior Maharani of Indore, were made over to the Madhya Bharat Government and in return the Madhya Bharat Government undertook to pay annually from the revenues of the properties a sum of Rs. 291,952 for charities. The amount has been funded and placed under a permanent Trust consisting of the Ruler of Indore, two nominees of the Ruler, one nominee of the Government of India and two nominees of the Madhya Bharat Government. This Trust will also administer the charities of Her Highness Maharani Ahalyabai Holkar.
(ii) His Highness the Nawab of Rampur has agreed to set up a Trust in respect of his famous library which contains over 12,000 rare manuscripts and several thousands of Moghul miniature paintings.
(iii) His Highness the Maharaja Gaekwar has agreed to create a Trust with a corpus of Rs. 20 millions, the income from which will be available for works of public utility in the rural areas of the erstwhile Baroda State and for the advancement of education. The new Baroda University will be amongst the institutions which will benefit from these Trusts.
(iv) Gangajali Fund.—This fund, which has a corpus of Rs. 16,237,000 was created by the Scindias as a special reserve fund for use during grave emergency such as famine. His Highness the Maharaja of Gwalior has made this fund available for public benefit. Subject to any instructions or directions from the Government of India, the authority to control and administer the fund is vested in the Rajpramukh of Madhya Bharat.
160. As a result of the settlement of private properties, over 500 villages in addition to thousands of acres of scattered areas of jagir lands claimed in the inventories have been given up by the Rulers.
