Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "Betterment charges" means the charges levied under section 3 on lands under irrigable command of the irrigation scheme of the Hirakud Dam Project; (b) "Canal Officer" means an officer not below the rank of an Executive Engineer appointed as Canal Officer by the State Government, for the purposes of this Act; (c) "Collector of Betterment Charges" means an officer not below the rank of a Collector appointed as such by the State Government under the provisions of this Act; (d) "Irrigation scheme of the Hirakud Dam Project", hereinafter referred to as the 'Scheme' means all canals, branch canals, distributaries, minors, water-courses, embankments, structures, lift irrigation arrangements and similar other works and all other works incidental thereto under Hirakud Dam Project designed to ensure supply of water to irrigate lands and includes improvements to and extension of the existing canal system in the district of Cuttack; (e) "Land" means any land that is fit for agricultural purposes or that may be capable of being rendered fit for such purposes on the completion of the scheme; (f) "Lands under irrigable command" means such lands as are irrigated or capable of being irrigated under the scheme; (g) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (h) "Revenue Officer" means an officer of the State Administrative Service appointed as a Revenue Officer for purposes of this Act; (i) "Sambalpur Zone" and the "Delta Zone" respectively mean the areas comprised within the districts of Sambalpur and Bolangir and the districts of Cuttack and Puri as at present constituted; (j) the expressions "Landlord", "Tenant", "Occupancy tenants" and "Service tenants" in relation to any land shall have the same meaning as those expressions have in the law relating to land tenures in force immediately before the commencement of this Act in the area in which such land is situate. Explanation— For the purposes of this Act a Ruler of an Indian State or any of his relations shall be deemed to be an occupancy tenant with respect to lands of which such Ruler or his relation as the case may be is the owner and which is in his possession either by himself or through his temporary lessees; and the expression "Ruler of an Indian State" shall have the same meaning as has been assigned to it in the Constitution. (k) all references to the districts of Cuttack, Puri, Sambalpur and Bolangir shall be read and construed respectively as references to the areas known by the said names immediately before the date of commencement of this Act.