Amount of betterment charges

(1) The amount of the betterment charges leviable in respect of any lands included in an irrigation scheme shall not exceed one-half of the difference between the value of the lands with reference to such date prior to the commencement of any work in connection with the irrigation scheme as the Government may, by Notification in the official Gazette, fix in this behalf and their estimated value with reference to such other date after such commencement as the Government may similarly fix, and such valuations shall be made in the prescribed manner. (2) Where in an irrigation scheme only lift irrigation arrangements are maintained and operated by the landowners or occupancy tenants, the betterment charges leviable shall not exceed one-half of the charges which would otherwise have been payable for gravity flow irrigation: Provided that whenever such lift irrigation arrangements are converted into gravity flow irrigation, the landowners or occupancy tenants, as the case may be, shall be liable to pay the full betterment charges in respect of the lands.