Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s24.1

c18.s24.1

The remission of rent in times of difficulty, and payment of compensation in case of damage done by the government, were no doubt good measures; but these were by no means all that the Peshwas did for their subjects. The question of irrigation and tagai grant did not escape their attention. In fact the Hindu kings had taken good care for effectual irrigation of cultivated areas from the earliest times of Indian history, as can be proved by Kautilya's *Arthashastra* Kalhana's *Raja Tarangini* and the Girnar rock inscription of the Shaka Satrap Rudradamana. The Peshwas also followed this traditional Hindu method for improving agriculture. Irrigation by aqueduct was very common and this gave origin to the word ‘patsthal’ (from *pat*, an elevated water-course to convey water to a plantation or field), and that well was also used for irrigation purposes may be proved by the word ‘motsthal.’ But generally rain and river water was stored up for future use by the construction of dams. Sometimes the entire expense for building a new dam or of repairing an old one was granted by the government while the government frequently gave a part of the necessary expenses while the remainder was levied by public subscription.