T.K.Velu Pillai
THE TRAVANCORE STATE MANUAL
VOL -III
First edition: 1940 , New edition1996


This volume gives a detailed account of the general economic condition of Travancore, the land tenures, agriculture, means of communication, industries, trade and commerce. The findings of the economic surveys and reports of the committees appointed during the inter-war period are included in this volume.

PREFACE

This volume deals with the economic condition of the State comprehending Chapters XIV to XXVII.  In Chapter XIV, I have attempted to present a comprehensive narrative of the measures adopted by the Government for the promotion of the health and strength of the population.

Chapter XV was drafted by Mr. K.S. Narayana Aiyer,  B.A.M.L., Advocate.  It is a fairly  full account of the various tenures, explained in the light of legislation and judicial interpretation.  Part I of the chapter has been added by me to present certain views which I hope will be useful as presenting facts and arguments in a new aspect.

Chapters XVI to XXV were drafted by Mr. G.R Pillai and approved of  by the Heads of the respective Departments.  I have taken care to make a detailed study of the different subjects and have had discussions with  him at every stage.  The accounts are substantially the same as he drafted, the modifications being slight. Mr. G.R. Pillai has brought to bear on the work his extensive knowledge and experience.

 In Chapter XXVI I have described with considerable fullness the educational policy pursued by the State during a period  of more than a hundred years from the commencement of the reign of Rani Parvathi Bai, the regent, to the establishment of theUniversity of Travancore by command of His  Highness the present Maharaja, Sri Chithra Tirunal.  The draft chapterXXVII was supplied by the Department of Public Health.  It presents a vivid description of the various steps taken by the State for the improvement of public health.
Trivandrum
28th June 1940
  
T. K. VELU PILLAI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS .    


CHAPTER XIV
ECONOMIC CONDITION
General .. .. 1
Equity and Taxation .. .. 4
Life of the agriculturists .. .. 5
Land .. .. 6
Size of agricultural holdings .. .. 7
Value of land .. .. 8
Incidence of Taxation .. .. 9
Buildings .. .. 12
Occupation .. .. 12
Relative position of the agricultural class
in the early part of the 19th century .. .. 13
Extension of cultivation .. .. 18
Agricultural returns and the increase of population .. .. 18
Progress in cultivation .. .. 20
Facilities for cultivation .. .. 21
Manure .. .. 22
Livestock .. .. 25
Paddy .. .. 28
Coconut .. .. 31
Tapioca .. .. 34
Sugarcane .. .. 36
Pepper .. .. 37
Plantation crops .. .. 39
Tobacco .. .. 39
Industries .. .. 40
Salt Industry .. .. 42
Cottage Industries .. .. 44
Fish Industry .. .. 45
Mineral Industry .. .. 46
Power .. .. 47
Communication and Transport .. .. 48
Trade .. .. 50
Markets .. .. 53
Labour .. .. 55
Operatives and Wages .. .. 57
Unemployment .. .. 61
Economic Depression .. .. 63
Indebtedness .. .. 64
Relief to agriculturists .. .. 68
Banks .. .. 71
Loans .. .. 72
Investments .. .. 75
Rural Reconstruction .. .. 75
Income .. .. 78
Consumption .. .. 81
Seasons of Scarcity .. .. 85
The Economic Development Board .. .. 87
Conclusion .. .. 88
Bibliography .. .. 115

CHAPTER XV
LAND TENURES AND LAND TAXES

General  .. .. 116
Jenmom Lands .. .. 126
The origin of ownership in Land .. .. 127
Jenmom Lands: Origin .. .. 128
Ancient organisation of the country .. .. 129
Origin of Jenmom Tenures .. .. 133
The several classes of Jenmom Tenures .. .. 145
Origin of Kanappattom tenure .. .. 147
The main features of Kanappattom .. .. 155
Jenmi and Kudiyan Regulation V of 1071 .. .. 169
Changes made by the Jenmi and Kudiyan
Amendment Regulations of 1108 .. .. 174
Other tenures relating to Jenmom lands .. .. 176
Idavakais .. .. 186
Sirkar Lands .. .. 190
Tenures of Sirkar Lands .. .. 195
Different  kinds of Otti transactions .. .. 205
Land Taxes .. .. 224
Early History .. .. 224
Survey and Settlement .. .. 224
Remission .. .. 233
Bibliography .. .. 246


CHAPTER XVI
FORESTS

Classification .. .. 251
Forest Flora   253
Sylviculture .. .. 255
Teak Plantations .. .. 256
Extension .. .. 257
Sandalwood Plantations .. .. 258
Working Plans .. .. 260
Exploitation of Forest produce .. .. 261
Royalties .. .. 262
Teak .. .. 264
Transport of Timber .. .. 264
Elephants .. .. 268
Cardamoms .. .. 269
Ivory .. .. 271
Protection .. .. 271
Grazing .. .. 273
Forest Offences .. .. 274
Concessions .. .. 275
Communications .. .. 275
Antiseptic treatment of wood .. .. 276
Hill tribes .. .. 277
Protection of game .. .. 277

CHAPTER XVII
AGRICULTURE

Introductory .. .. 280
Area under cultivation .. .. 282
Soil .. .. 285
Season and rainfall .. .. 286
Agricultural holdings .. .. 287
Fallowing .. .. 291
Implements .. .. 293
Irrigation .. .. 296
Manure .. .. 298
Wet Crops .. .. 299
Paddy .. .. 300
Nanjanad .. .. 301
Podivitha .. .. 302
Onattukara .. .. 309
Kuttanad .. .. 311
Kari lands .. .. 316
Dry crops .. .. 317
Other cereals .. .. 325
Edible roots .. .. 327
Oil seeds and oils .. .. 332
Fibre crops .. .. 337
Monocotyledonous .. .. 337
Dicotyledonous .. .. 338
Drugs and narcotics .. .. 340
Condiments and spices .. .. 340
Garden crops   350
Vegetables .. .. 364
Fodders .. .. 364
Fruits .. .. 365
Plantations .. .. 370
Agricultural stock .. .. 379
Fisheries .. .. 390
Apiculture .. .. 397
Poultry .. .. 400
Sericulture .. .. 401
Agricultural Education and Agricultural colonies .. .. 402
Agricultural marketing .. .. 407
The Board of Agriculture .. .. 408
The Imperial Council of Agricultural  research and
Travancore .. .. 410
Bibliography .. .. 412

CHAPTER XVIII
IRRIGATION

Nanjanad .. .. 414
Kothayar Project .. .. 415
Irrigation in Shenkotta .. .. 423
North Travancore .. .. 424
Reclamations .. .. 425
Minor Irrigation works .. .. 427
Bibliography .. .. 430
CHAPTER XIX
FISHERIES

An important economic activity in primaeval days .. .. 431
Natural advantages and wealth of Travancore Fisheries .. 432
Prevalent species and value of catch under each .. .. 434
The problem of fish preservation .. .. 436
Indigenous methods of fish preservation .. .. 437
Fish products .. .. 444

 


Minor aquatic products from sources other than fish .. .. 451
Coral .. .. 453
Chank Fishery .. .. 455
Sea cucumber or Trepangs .. .. 455
Sea urchins .. .. 455
Appendix .. .. 456
Bibliography .. .. 463

CHAPTER XX
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

Roads .. .. 465
Tolls .. .. 474
Water communications .. .. 477
Canal communications .. .. 479
Ferries .. .. 484
Bridges .. .. 484
Railways .. .. 491
Motor Traffic .. .. 494
Air Transport .. .. 495
State Transport .. .. 495

CHAPTER  XXI
ELECTRIC POWER

General .. .. 498
Preliminary Survey of Hydro Electric possibilities .. .. 499
Installation of Thermal station at Trivandrum .. .. 500
Supply of Electricity in Kotayam and Nagarcoil .. .. 501
Supply of Power to Quilon .. .. 501
Investigations of the Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project .. 502

CHAPTER XXII
INDUSTRIES

General statistics .. .. 595
Factory Industries .. .. 596
Coconut oil .. .. 596
Punnac .. .. 508
Coil Yarn industry .. .. 509
Coir Fibre .. .. 511
Mats and Matting .. .. 513
Oil Industry .. .. 515
The Manufacture of Tiles .. .. 516
Ceramic Industry .. .. 516
Sugar .. .. 519
Rubber .. .. 520
Tea .. .. 523
Cashewnet .. .. 527
Salt .. .. 531
Mining Industry .. .. 536
Materials for refractive industry .. .. 540
Paper .. .. 541
Match .. .. 542
Rayon .. .. 542
Labour .. .. 542
Cottage Industries .. .. 543
Cotton weaving .. .. 544
Silk weaving .. .. 546
Manufacture of Silver and Gold threads .. .. 548
Lace and Embroidery .. .. 552
Bell Metal Industry .. .. 555
Iron Industries .. .. 565
Screw-pine mat weaving .. .. 566
Wood Seasoning .. .. 568
Palm leaf umbrella making .. .. 569
Preparation of coconut jaggery .. .. 571
Preparation of palmyra sugar candy .. .. 575
Other Industries .. .. 576
Bibliography .. .. 578

CHAPTER XXIII
TRADE AND COMMERCE

General .. .. 529
The Interportal Convention .. .. 586
Monopolies .. .. 594
Direction of Trade .. .. 606
Exports .. .. 608
Coconut products .. .. 611
Imports .. .. 635
Internal Trade .. .. 644
Currency .. .. 645
Bibliography .. .. 650

CHAPTER XXIV
INVESTMENT AND CREDIT

Indigenous banker .. .. 651
Chitties .. .. 653
Institutions for investment .. .. 655
Joint Stock banks .. .. 657
The State aided Bank .. .. 661
The State Land Mortgage Bank .. .. 663
Credit Bank .. .. 663
Remittance facilities .. .. 664
Bibliography .. .. 665

CHAPTER XXV
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES AND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES

Co-operation .. .. 673
Progress of the movement .. .. 673
The Central Bank .. .. 676
Taluk Banks .. .. 680
Urban Bamks .. .. 682
Primary Societies .. .. 682
Internal Supervision .. .. 684
Non-Credit activities .. .. 684
Concession by Government .. .. 688
Bibliography .. .. 690

CHAPTER XXVI
EDUCATION

Early Account .. .. 691
Female Education .. .. 692
Further Progress .. .. 694
Co-education .. .. 696
Missionary enterprise .. .. 698
State activity .. .. 700
Vernacular Education .. .. 704
English Education .. .. 708
Technical Education .. .. 709
Progress of  Education .. .. 714
The Education Code .. .. 717
Private enterprise .. .. 721
Education Reforms Committee .. .. 727
Education of Backward Communities .. .. 735
Hostels and Boarding Houses .. .. 739
Medical Inspection of pupils .. .. 740
Boy Scouts Movement .. .. 741
Reading rooms and Libraries .. .. 742
Co-ordination of Education with the means of living .. .. 742
Travancore University .. .. 744
Bibliography .. .. 757

CHAPTER XXVII
PUBLIC HEALTH

Historical introduction .. .. 758
New Public Health Scheme .. .. 761
Control of Communicable diseases .. .. 773
Vaccination: Introduction and early Progress .. .. 779
Plague control measures .. .. 785
Medical Entomology .. .. 788
Filariasis survey .. .. 791
Mosquito control operations . .. 796
Publ;ic Health laboratory .. .. 799
Health Unit, Neyyattinkara .. .. 803
Rural Sanitation .. .. 805
Municipal Health work .. .. 807
School Medical Inspection work .. .. 808
Public Health Education .. .. 810
Miscellaneous .. .. 812
Bibliography .. .. 813


MAPS IN VOL. III
The Forest Area .. .. 247
Kuttanad ... .. 31
Means of Communication .. .. 465

ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. III
The Avenue Road-Trivandrum .. ..         Frontispiece
Kothayar Dam .. .. 21
Wooden Bridge-Thattappalli .. .. 49
Padmanabhapuram Puthanar .. .. 415
Nintakara Bridge .. .. 491
Aerodrome .. .. 495
Trivandrum Power House .. .. 501
Hydro Electric Works Pallivasal .. .. 503
Rubber Factory .. .. 523
Cashewnut Factory .. .. 529
The Pier at Alleppey .. .. 607
The Physics Laboratory-College of Science .. .. 703
The College for Women .. .. 715
The College of Arts .. .. 725
The Law College .. .. 739
University Buildings .. .. 745
The Engineering College .. .. 755