Inam land

 Inam land

The word “inami” (in Telugu), or “inam” (in Tamil) literally means a “gift”.

Wilson’s Glossary defines the word ‘Inam’.

“In India, and especially in the south, and amongst the Maharatas, the term was socially applied to grants of land held rent-free, and in hereditary and perpetual occupation.

The term “inam” was also vaguely applied to grants of rent-free land, without reference to perpetuity or any specified conditions.

The grants are also distinguishable by their origin from the ruling authorities, or from the village communities, and are again distinguishable by peculiar reservations, or by their being applicable to different objects.

Manyam:

The existence of the beneficial tenure, known orginally by the Sankskrit name ‘manyam’, and latterly after the Mohammedan conquest by the Arabic term “Inam” can be traced to a very remote antiquity. 

Baden Powell’s Land Systems of British India:

It was the custom of Hindu Rulers to grant assignment of land, revenue free, or rat low quit-rents for the payment of troops and civil officers, for the support of temples and their servants, and charitable institutions for the maintenance of holy and learned men, or for rewards for public service. 

Mohammedan Rulers:

This practice, of allotting lands for the above purposes by the Hindu Rulers, was followed by the Mohammedan Rulers. The effect of the Mohammedan rule was to add greatly to the already existing land exempt from payment of revenue.

In 18th Century:

In the period of political confusion which ensued during the latter part of the eighteenth century, when the supremacy in Southern India was contested by the British, the French and various local powers, large extents of land were granted as Inam by parties who had not the least authority to make such alienations. During the earlier years of British rule, the Govt of the day, following the custom of the country, adopted the practice of rewarding meritorious services by grants of jagirs. The large sacrifice of State revenue involved under the arrangement attracted the attention of the British administration at an early period, and in Madras a special Inam Commission was appointed to deal with this subject. In addition to dealing with the Inams proper, the Commission investigated the titles of Service Inam holders.

When the title to an Inam based on the length of possession was once established, the Commission proceeded to deal with it in the following manner:

Personal benefit Inams:

In the case of Inams held for personal benefit, the Inamdar was either allowed to retain the Inam in accordance with the actual terms of the tenures subject to the liability of lapse, or without power of alienation or he was given the option to enfranchise the Inam that is to say, convert it into his own property on payment of a fixed commutation sum, equal to so many years of quit-rent, the amount of quit-rent to be estimated in terms generally favourable to the Inamdar in order to induce him to take advantge of the arrangement afforded. 

Service Inams:

 With regard to service inams, that is, Inams that were attached to services still required, they were continued intact, but where he services were such that they could not be continued, the holder was asked to compulsorily enfranchise the Inam, the value to be fixed in the form of annual quit-rent. 

There is no assessment, where a ‘service inam’ belongs to the following classes, namely, 1) Village Carpeneter, 2) Village Blacksmith, 3) Village Barber, 4) Village Washerman, 5) Village Potter, 6) Village Purohit or priest, 7) Village Astrologer, 8) Village Archaka, 9) Village Vetti, 10) Village Nirganti (Tank water regulator), 11) Village Madiga (Thotti).

Endowment Inams:

As regards the lands forming endowments of mosques, they were to be confirmed on their existing arrangements and to be resumable only in the event of the object for which they were held had ceased to exists.

Classification of Inams:

 Inams may now be classified as (1) still unenfranchised; (2) enfranchised but liable to Jodi or quit-rent as the case may be; (3) enfranchised, the rent being computed or redeemed. 

Ryotwari system:

Apart from the Inam tenure, a system which was most prevalent in many parts of what was formerly known as the Madras Presidency was the ryotwari tenure, whereunder all arable land, whether cultivated or waste, was divided into blocks, the assessment of each block being at a fixed rate of a term of years and the exaction of revenue from each occupant of the area of land thus assessed. 

The intention of the founders of the ryotwari system was to make the assessment on land permanent. But subsequently the principle of permanency was abandoned and the system of periodical revision of assessments on all ryotwari lands was adopted. Under the rules of at present in force, every registered holder of land is recognised as its proprietor. He is at liberty to sublet his property or to transfer it by gift, sale or mortgage. He cannot be ejected by Govt so long as he pays the fixed assessment. The ryot under this system is virtually a proprietor on a simple and perfect title.

Minor Inams:

Minor inam lands in this State are either held free of assessment or are liable only to pay a quit rent, jodi or other amount of a like nature which is much less than the assessment payable on similar ryotwari lands in the neighbourhood. 

The Govt consider that there is little justification for any discriminatory treatment in favour of minor inams in respect of their assessment. With a view, therefore, to equalising the burden of land revenue and in order to augment the finances of the State, the Govt have decided to undertake legislation for the levy of full assessment on minor inam lands in this State as in the case of ryotwari lands.

Madras Estates Land Act 1908 (Madras Act I of 1908)

“Inam Land” has been defined to mean any land the grant of which in inam, has been made confirmed or recognised by the Govt, and to include an inam land in a ryotwari area, but does not include an inam constituting an ‘estate’ under the Madras Estates Lands Act 1908.

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