Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s14: 4. Their Pay

Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s14

Language: English

4. Their Pay

c18.s14.1

A comparison of the documents will show that all the Kamavisdars did not enjoy the same remuneration, their allowance varied with the importance of the districts under their charge. Thus Trimbak Hari was appointed Kamavisdar of Sarkar Hande in the year 1740-41 on a salary of Rs. 1,000 per annum⁹ while Ramchandra Ballal, Kamavisdar of Pargana Bhupal, enjoyed in the year 1743-44 a salary seven times as large.¹⁰ The general principle seems to have been to give the Kamavisdar 4 per cent. of the money advanced by him (thus in the case of the Kamavisdar of Pargana Bhupal—your salary is Rs. 7,000 at the rate of 4 per cent. on the revenue of one lac and seventy-five thousand).¹¹ But this rule does not appear to have been uniformly followed. In the case of the Kamavisdar of Kasba Puntamba ¹² quoted in the footnote it was clearly stipulated in his appointment letter that he should pay at least Rs. 20,000 in advance every year. His salary according to the former rule should have been Rs. 800 but as it was, the officer did not get more than Rs. 200 ("of the sum contracted Rs. 20,000 are to be paid in advance every year. Pay therefore Rs. 20,000 annually and get receipt." . . . . . "The salary of the Shibandi and the officers of the aforesaid Mahal as before—Rs. 200 Kamavisdar ").

c18.s14.2

⁹ P. D., Vol. III, p. 254.

c18.s14.3

¹⁰ P. D., Vol. III, p. 255.

c18.s14.4

¹¹ P. D., Vol. III, p. 255. I beg to differ from Rao Bahadur D. B. Parasnis who seems to think that in the above two cases the officers got as their salary 4 per cent. of the revenue of their districts. In his English summary of documents Nos. 407 and 409, Vol. I, 'Balaji Baji Rao Peshway,' he says—"the remuneration of the Kamavisdar of Bhopal was fixed at Rs. 4 per cent. of the revenue received." And again "The Mamlat of Bundelkhand was entrusted to one person, and Rs. 3,20,000 were received from him in advance on account of land revenue. His remuneration was fixed at Rs. 12,800 at Rs. 4 p. c. of the revenue." It is doubtful whether the word *rasad* in these two documents means revenue, it stands rather for the money that these officers had to advance at the time of their appointment, and a simple

c18.s14.5

¹² P. D., Vol, III, p. 277.

c18.s14.6

Generally a lump sum was granted for the Kamavisdar's office and officers minutely calculation shows that the salary amounted to just 4 p. c. of what they had paid in advance. Ramchandra Ballal Kamavisdar of Bhupal had paid Rs. 1,75,000 and his salary was Rs 7,000. Lakshman Shankar Mamlatdar of Bundelkhand paid Rs. 3,20,000 and got Rs. 12,800 for his salary. Trimbak Babu Rao was appointed Kamavisdar of Kasba Puntamba (in the year 1759-60) for 5 years. The revenue of the village was to rise at the following rate:

c18.s14.7

| 1759-60 | ... | ... | Rs. 45,000 |
| 1760-61 | ... | ... | Rs. 46,000 |
| 1761-62 | ... | ... | Rs. 47,000 |
| 1762-63 | ... | ... | Rs. 48,000 |
| 1763-64 | ... | ... | Rs. 49,000 |

c18.s14.8

So his salary at the rate of 4 p. c. of the revenue would have been at least Rs. 1,800 but actually it was Rs 200 only (see p. 269, Balaji Baji Rao, Vol, I). Nor can the Rao Bahadur urge that the rasad demanded always amounted to one year's revenue. We have a series of documents in the same volume contradicting such a supposition.

c18.s14.9

specifying the salary of each and every Karkun, even the ordinary foot-men not being omitted. One document will sufficiently illustrate the whole arrangement and we shall quote here that addressed to Trimbak Hari, Kamavisdar, Sarkar Hande.

c18.s14.10

"The following sum, on account of the establishment to be kept by Trimbak Hari, Kamavisdar of Sarkar Hande, was sanctioned—

c18.s14.11

Rs. 1,000 ... The Kamavisdar. Rs. 660 ... Palanquin for 11 months at Rs. 60 per month, service to be taken for 12 months. Rs. 7,500 ... Troopers 50.

c18.s14.12

Two hundred peons to be entertained at Rs. 2-8, Rs. 2-12, or Rs. 3 per month; the salary to be paid for 12 months.

c18.s14.13

Twelve Karkuns to be employed when necessary at the *chaukis* (out-posts) at Rs. 3-8 per mensem.

c18.s14.14

Karkuns at the following monthly salaries payable for 10 months, service being taken for 12 months:

c18.s14.15

Rs. 25—Mazumdar. Rs. 25—Naroram Fadnis. Rs. 25—Shivaji Dadaji Chitnis. Rs. 25—Shirmaji Avji (a Karkun). Rs. 20—Janardan Bhashkar (a Karkun).

c18.s14.16

Rs. 60—Four Karkuns, Visaji Yadava, Bhikaji Tandev, Moro Shamraj, and Girmaji, on Rs. 15 each.

c18.s14.17

Rs. 48—Four Karkuns on Rs. 12 each, viz., Babuji Trimal, Govind Shivdev, Shivaji Ram and Venkaji Anant."

c18.s14.18

It shows how much attention was paid even to minute details. Two points in this document demand our special notice. We find here the peculiar custom of paying for ten or eleven months, while a full year's service was demanded from the officer in question. The practice was, however, not peculiar to the civil departments only, but was followed with equal persistency in the army, navy and the forts. The second point is the allowance granted for the Kamavisdar's palanquin. It should not be compared with the travelling allowance of modern days, or with the allowance granted for the Governor's household. In those days, palanquin and sunshades were granted to officers of special merit in recognition of their public service, as the British Indian government confers titles like Rai Bahadur or Khan Bahadur on distinguished public servants. All such honours were accompanied by suitable grants for their proper upkeep, because the Peshwa was anxious that his officers should not find their hard-won honours burdensome.

c18.s14.19

5. Their Duties :

c18.s14.20

The Mamlatdars and the Kamavisdars were the Peshwa's representatives in their districts. So their duties and responsibilities were of a most comprehensive character and embraced all possible aspects of affairs. They had to look after the welfare of the cultivator, they had to devise means for improving agriculture, they had to encourage new industries, they had to enquire into disputes of both civil and criminal nature, and appoint a Panchayat for decision. This however does not exhaust the list of their innumerable duties. The Shibandi of the district was under their control and so was the police force. Religious and social questions were often referred to them for enquiry, and even the devil with all his evil powers was not beyond their jurisdiction, for they could compel the devotees of his black majesty to recall the evil influence of their dread master. It is needless to say that these ample powers gave their owners ample opportunities for corruption and the Maratha officers sometimes did succumb to the charms of gold. Fryer and Broughton, writing at different times and of different courts, alluded to the Maratha officer's inordinate love of presents. Fryer says how an officer of Shivaji's court actually told the English ambassador that "if he would have his Work speedily effected, and without any impediment, it was necessary to be at some more charge to present Officers with *Pamerins*, who were not in their List of Presents." Broughton similarly describes how Daulat Rao Sindhia did not hesitate to demand a *khelat* for a nephew that was no more, on the plea of soothing the feelings of the disconsolate mother. This love of presents, in vulgar language called bribe, was no monopoly of the Maratha officer alone. His Muhammadan, or even his English, brother was no better. Hawkins and Roe's account of the Mughal officers' curiosity about the contents of the merchants' bales is not complimentary to those grand dignitaries; and Shakespeare's picture of "the justice in fair round belly with good capon lined" found many imitators. It was a common failing all over the world which people in those days were ready to wink at.