Maharaja Vijayasinhji Chhatrasinhji of Rajpipla (1890 - 1951) Vijay Palace, Rajpipla, Gujarat February 1917 Maharaja introduced free primary education and scholarships. Only nominal high school fees were charged. He built a civil hospital, five dispensaries and a veterinary hospital in the State. A criminal-and-civil court was established, pensions were paid to public servants, and the salaries of the police and military were increased. Maharaja Vijaysinhji ordered the laying of extensive public works and good motorable roads. He added the Jhagadia-Netrang section to the 40-mile (64 kilometres) railway line, laid during his fathers reign, which connected Rajpipla to Ankleshwar, a junction on the Delhi-Ahmedabad-Bombay line. He also set up a 19-mile (31 kilometres) steam railroad and tramway connecting the towns along the river Narmada with villages in the interior, and a power house supplying electricity and water to Rajpipla town. Even though taxes were reduced in terms of percentage, the revenue of the State increased from Rupees 1,300,000 to Rupees 2,700,000 per annum in the period 1915-1930, and peaked at Rupees 3,600,000 in 1948 when the State merged with the Indian Union. Maharaja Vijaysinhji regularised the land revenue system, and his relief efforts during droughts and floods drew wide appreciation. He had a keen interest in agriculture and improved the quality of cotton, grains and fruits grown in his territory. His town planning in 1927 was far-sighted, and builders were given permission to construct, conditional to leaving 3 to 4 feet (about 1 metre) space for future widening of roads. The designs of new buildings were well integrated and in harmony with the surroundings.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 15:23:47 +0000
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