describe the main features of the permanent settlement
Answers
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⚫The company introduced the permanent settlement in 1793 and it was by Lord Cornwallis. It was also called zamidari bandobase in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa. The main features of the settlement were:-
☞Under this system, the Rajas and talaqdars were recognised as zamindars and were made the owner of the land and were supposed to pay a fixed amount of revenue.
☞The local zamindars were to collect revenue from the peasants and pay on time to company even if crops field due to flood, drought and famine, the land would be auctioned off.
☞The amount of rent to be paid was fixed permanently with no scope of revision.
☞The zamidars acted as the agents for the Government and the cultivators became the tenants.
☞On account of increasing or extincting of cultivation, the zamidars were allowed to take entire increased revenue.
Answer:
In order to get a stable revenue income, most of the East India Company’s officials believed that investment in land had to be encouraged and agriculture had to be improved.
Debates on how this was to be done led to the introduction of the Permanent Settlement in 1793.
The aim of this settlement was to ensure a regular flow of revenue for the Company.
As per the settlement, rajas and taluqdars were recognised as zamindars. They were asked to collect rent from the peasants and pay revenue to the Company.
The amount to be paid was fixed permanently and it was not to be increased ever in the future.
The Company believed that as the revenue amount was fixed, the zamindars would benefit by investing in land improvement, which would in turn lead to increased production.
If the zamindars failed to pay the revenue, which they usually did as the fixed revenue was very high, they lost their zamindari.