(1) No survey number comprising land used for the purposes of agriculture only shall be made of less extent than a minimum to be fixed from time to time for the several classes of land in each district by the 1[Director of Survey, Settlement and Land Records]1, with the sanction of the State Government:
Provided that,—
(a) survey numbers, which have already been made of less extent than the minimum so fixed, or which may be so made under the authority of the 1[Director of Survey, Settlement and Land Records]1 given either generally or in any particular instance in this behalf and any survey number separately recognised in the land records shall be deemed to have been made under lawful authority, whatever be its extent; and
(b) when any portion of cultivable land is permitted to be used under the provisions of section 95 or section 98 for any non-agricultural purpose, or when any portion of land is specially assigned under section 71, or when any assessment is levied on any portion of land under sub-section (2) of section 83, such portion may, with the sanction of the Deputy Commissioner, be made into a separate number at any time.