Methods of land revenue assessment in mughal india
Answers
1) Ghalla Bakhshi (Crop-sharing): In some areas it was called bhaoli and batai. The
Ain-i Akbri notes three types of crop-sharing:
a) Division of crop at the threshing floor after the grain was obtained. This was done in the presence of both the parties in accordance with agreement.
b) Khet batai: The share was decided when the crop was still standing in the fields, and a division of the field was marked.
c) Lang batai: The crop was cut and stacked in heaps without separating grain and a division of crop in this form was made.
In Malikzada's Nigarnama-i Munshi ,crop sharing has been mentioned as the best method of revenue assessment and collection. Under this method, the peasants and the state shared the risks of the seasons equally. But as Abul Fazl says it was expensive from the viewpoint of the state since the latter had to employ a large number of watchmen, else there were chances of misappropriation before harvesting. When Aurangzeb introduced it in the Deccan, the cost of revenue collection doubled simply from the necessity of organizing a watch on the crops.
2) Kankut/Dambandi The word kankut is derived from the words kan and kat. Kan denotes grain while kat means to estimate or appraisal. Similarly, dam means grain while bandi is fixing or detemining anything. It was a system where the grain yield (or productivity) was estimated. In kankut, at first, the field was measured either by means of a rope or by pacing. After this, the per bigha productivity from good, middling and bad Iands was estimated and the revenue demand was fixed accordingly.
3) Zabti: In Mughal India, it was the most important method of assersment. The origin of this practice is traced to Sher Shah. During Akbar'r reign, the system was revised a number of times before it took the final shape.
Sher Shah had established a rai or per bigha yield for lands which were under continuous cultivation (polaj), or those land which very rarely allowed to lie fallow (parauti). The rai was based on three rates, representing good, middling and low yields and one third of the sum of these was appropriated as land revenue. Akbar adopted Sher Shah's rai. Akbar introduced his so-called karori experiment and appointed karoris all aver North India in 1574-75. The entire jagir was converted into khalisani) measurement of land was essential.
ii) Fixed cash revenue rates known as dastur for each crop.
iii) All the collection was made in cash.
From an administrative point of view, zabtl system had some merits:
i) measurement could always be rechecked;
ii) due to fixed dasturs, local officials could not use their discretion; and
iii) With fixing the permanent dasturs, the uncertainties and fluctuation in levying the land revenue.
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