Punjab Settlement Manual

The proclamation of the annexation of Punjab was made by the British Government on 30th March, 1849 and the Government of the Province was put under the Board of Administration. This Board, too, was abolished in th February 1853 and its powers were Vested in the Chief Commissioner who controlled the administration of the Provinces with the help of Judicial Commissioner and the Financial Commissioner. Matters relating to land-revenue settlements were regulated in accordance with Mr Thamason's Directions initially which were put in the form of a handbook by Mr Robert Cust for the first time and later on were revised by Mr D C Barkley. The Present Manual, an independent work, was issued, after the examination by the Financial Commissioner and with the approval of the Government of the Punjab, on the said manuals becoming obsolete with a view to guiding Settlement Officers in the Province concerning assessments and the preparation of the record of rights. The object of this Manual is not only to describe the present policy and procedure in the matter of land-revenue settlements but also to trace the growth of that policy and procedure from annexation to the present time. The Manual is divided into three Books-Book I deals with Historical facts, Book II delineates the Record of Rights and Book III relates to the Assessment. This work is comprehensive in its materials and contains sixteen Appendices. The Manual will certainly serve as source material to future framers of Settlement policies.