Bhotia Mhalas Settlement

British Administration in Garhwal   -18         

       -

History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -34

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -872

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

  Trail executed an exclusive tax settlement as ‘Bhotia Mhalas’ for Bhotia regions adjacent to Tibet boarder. Trail changed the name of Tax from Tax on Business Profit to ‘Agriculture produce Tax’.  That new tax was additional to land tax.

 The new Bhotia Mhalas taxes were as follows on Bhotia villages adjacent to border -

Valley------------- Kanch--------------Masha---------- Rati

Juhar Kumaon ------398------------- 5-------------------6

Darma Kumaon ------- 42 -----------7-------------------

Neeti (Garhwal) ---------62.5 (125 Dumaula)

 In Neeti region Mhalas tax was exclusive from land tax on Joshimath and Painkhanda.

 The material cost came down in Tibet. Trail exempted 25 % levies of the half tax from business category. In 1818, other taxes as weaving tax were stopped but forest product taxes remained as it was.

 The planned tax  for Bhotia regions were as follows-

Valley------------- Kanch---------Masha---------- Rati – Rate Rs. – Total ------Revenue in Rs.

Juhar Kumaon -----365 ---------- 3-----------------3----------6--------- 5313-------- Rs.2200

Darma Kumaon ----353  --------3 -----------------4----------4 ------------3409------1400

Vyas Kumaon--------71----------9-----------------0-----------4-------------695----------280

Chaudans Kumaon –49-----------9----------------4-----------5-------------532----------250

Neeti (Garhwal) ---------87.50 (175 Dumaula) -------------2.5----------1005---------440

 The above planned tax system was remained same for another year too.

There was increase in next biyearly taxation settlement as Bhotia who had fled at Gurkha time started returning to their native places. It was difficult for dividing the tax village wise. There was another problem the cut throat competition and mistrust among Bhotia traders. (Atkinson)  

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 11/8/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -873

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page 168-69

2- Atkinson, Himalayan districts vol.3 page 147

Xx

History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;