Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Recollections and remembrances

CROP-SHARE FIXATION LAW:In the division of produce, the Reforms lay down that the tenant shall not berequired to pay a penny more than the provincial tenancy laws provide, but if heholds land on more favorable terms, he shall continue to do so not with standingwhat the tenancy laws stipulate.AGRICULTURAL CREDIT:The land Reforms had generated a substantial demand for credit. Therefore,simultaneously with the Land Reforms the People’s Government had takenmeasures in the field of agricultural credit to assure greater facilities to smallfarmers. Towards this end, the “Loans for Agricultural Purposes Act 1973” waspassed by the Federal Government under which small owners are issued a “Pass-Book” which contains details of land held by the farmers, its value in produceindex units and encumbrance if any.The Pass Book is deemed to be a title deed by Banks for giving loans which aregranted forthwith and spot investigation is normally waived. The cash loan iscredited in one lump sum to the Savings Account opened by the loaners, orwhere in kind, by placing supplies order with a firm of the loanee’s choice.Recovery of loans is made in easy installments. On the payment of loan in full,the Branch Manager records redemption in the Pass Book and the RevenueOfficer is informed for similar action. It has been ensured that 70% of the loan willbe advanced to small owners of less than subsistence holdings. It is a matter ofgreat satisfaction that in the F.A.O. International Conferences of Asia and For EastRegion near East Region, held at Manila in August 1975 and Tunis in October,1976, experts unanimously recommended the adoption of pass book systemintroduced in Pakistan as an extremely useful measure for the small farmers. Thefixation of the share of small owners in the loan was also highly appreciated.EXEMPTION TOLL, SMALL LAND-HOLDERS FROM LAND REVENUE ETC.Shall farmers had, from as far back as 1937, repeatedly represented against theland revenue they were required to pay. Official committees even up-held thejustification for the representations, but rejected them for administrative reasons.There was a vague proposal in 1969 to abolish land revenue on holdings up tofive acres but was never pursued. The People’s government exempted owners ofup to 12 acres of irrigated and 25 acres of non irrigated land from payment ofland revenue, local rate, development cesscs and all other cesses whatever, fromRabi 1975-76. Subsequently when land revenue system was to be replaced byagricultural income tax, holdings of 25 acres of irrigated and 50 acres of un-Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Recollections and Remembrances; Copyright © www.bhutto.org 110