explain revenue system of mughal
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done by akbar continued throughout mughal period with more or less no change. It will thus be observed that the revenue administration during the medieval times underwent many improvement and the revenue of the state continued to grow .
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The Revenue administration under the first two Mughal rulers—Babur and Humayun—continued to operate as it was under the Sultans of Delhi. Babur was so much engrossed in the various wars during his four years of rule that he could hardly get any time to devote to the revenue affairs. Humayun, his successor, also found himself in trouble soon after his accession to the throne and had to spend most of his life in exile. Accordingly, he also did not get any chance to improve the revenue administration. It was Sher Shah Suri, who intervened between Humayun and Akbar, who provided an excellent land revenue system. He has acquired good knowledge of the working of the revenue system as jagirdar of Sehsram, Khawaspur and Tanda. When he became the emperor of India he tried to introduce this system on a large scale. First of all he ordered the measurement of the lands according to a uniform standard. The cultivable land was divided into three categories—good, middling and bad. The average of these three was taken to determine the produce of the land per bigha. State’s share was fixed at one-third of the gross produce. This could be paid both in cash and kind, although the former was preferred. In addition to this each cultivator was to pay in kind 21/2 per cent of the revenue he paid to the state, in lieu of this he got grain at very cheap rates during the times of famine and other calamities. The revenue could be paid either through the Maoaddams or directly to the Pargana treasury.
Akbar, who succeeded Humayun was only a child at the time of his accession. He first paid attention to the security and consolidation of the empire. After he had entrenched himself on the throne he paid attention to the revenue administration and made efforts to improve on the revenue system set up by Sher Shah. In this he got the assistance from experts like Muzaffar Khan, Itimad Khan and Raja Todar Mal.”
This share of the state was determined for the various categories of lands on ‘the basis of the fertility of the soil and the produce of the last ten years. The state share in respect of Polaj and Pinauti was fixed at one-third of the average produce of the three grades.
On the chachar land the state’s share was 1/15 of the produce in the first year, 2/15 in the second year, 1/5 in the third year,1/ 4 the fourth year and 1/3 in the fifth year. Similarly on the Banjar land the Government charged 1/26 of the produce in the first year, 1/13 in the second year, 2/13 in the third year, 3/13 in the fourth year and 1/3 in the fifth year.
According to this system the government took one-third of the total produce after the harvest as its share. Under the Nasaq system a general estimate of the expected yield of the standing crops was made and the state claimed one-third of the expected yield.
The land revenue system adopted by Akbar has been greatly admired by scholars. According to V.A.’ Smith the land revenue system of Akbar was based upon sound principles and state issued instructions to the officers from time to time to keep the system up-to- date. But one ‘cannot help feeling considerable skepticism concerning the conformity of practice with precept.”
On the other hand, on the testimony of Abul-Fazl in Ain-i-Akbari it can be said that the land revenue system of Akbar was highly efficient and the peasants were’quite happy. The state demand being fixed, there was very little scope for extracting more from the peasants than was due.
The land revenue system introduced by Akbar continued throughout the Mughal period with more or less no change. The system appears to have worked very satisfactorily. It is evident from the fact that the land revenue under Babur stood at Rs. 2.60 crores, in Akbar’s time it stood at Rs. 17.50 crores. In Jahangir’s time at 17.60 crores and under Shah Jahan it was 21.15 crores. Under Aurangzeb it rose to 29.77 crores.
Though the land revenue was the chief source of state revenue, it resorted to certain other taxes to supplement its income. These included toll tax, customs, mints, presents which the king received from the Governors and Ministers as well as Jagirdars on important occasions ; fines which the state levied on the criminals.
It will thus be observed that the Revenue .administration during the medieval times underwent many improvements and the revenue of the state continued to grow. It may be noted that the fiscal resources of that state at that time were very limited. But as the state did not undertake any welfare activities, its expenditure was also very limited.