What were the fundamental changes introduced by Mahalwari and Ryotwari System in the traditional land system of the country? What were the fundamental changes introduced by Mahalwari and Ryotwari System in the
traditional land system of the country?
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Answer:
Land Revenue Systems in British India: Zamindari, Ryotwari and Mahalwari
The Indian peasants had been forced to bear, the main burden of providing money for the trade and profits of the Company, the cost of administration, and the wars of British expansion in India. In fact, the British could not have conquered such a vast country as India if they had not taxed him heavily.
The Indian state had since times immemorial taken a part of the agriculture produce as land revenue. It had been done so either directly through its servants or indirectly through intermediaries, such as zamindars, revenue-farmers, etc., who collected the land revenue from the cultivator and kept a part of it as their commission.
The intermediaries were primarily collectors of land revenue, although they did sometimes own some land in the area from which they collected revenue.
Ryotwari Settlement
The establishment of British rule in South and South-Western India brought new problems of land settlement. The officials believed that in these regions there were no zamindars with large estates with whom settlement of land revenue could be made and that the introduction of zamindari system would upset the existing state of affairs.
Many Madras officials led by Reed and Munro recommended that settlement should therefore be made directly with the actual cultivators.
The system they proposed, is known as the Ryotwari Settlement, under which the cultivator was to be recognized as the owner of his plot of land subject to the payment of land revenue.
The supporters of the Ryotwari Settlement claimed that it was a continuation of the state of affairs that had existed in the past.
Munro said: "It is the system which has always prevailed in India".
The Ryotwari Settlement was introduced in parts of the Madras and Bombay Presidencies in the beginning of the 19th century.
The settlement under the Ryotwari system was not made permanent. It was revised periodically after 20 to 30 years when the revenue demand was usually raised.
Mahalwari System
A modified version of the zamindari settlement, introduced in the Gangetic valley, the North-West Provinces, parts of Central India, and Punjab, was known as the Mahalwari System.
The revenue settlement was to be made village by village or estate (mahal) by estate with landlords or heads of families who collectively claimed to be the landlords of the village or the estate.
In Punjab, a modified Mahalwari System known as the village system was introduced. In Mahalwari areas also, the land revenue was periodically revised.
Both the Zamindari and the Ryotwari systems, departed fundamentally from the traditional land systems of the country.
The British created a new form of private property in land in such a way that the benefit of the innovation did not go to the cultivators.
All over the country, the land was now made salable, mortgagable, and alienable. This was done primarily to protect the Government's revenue.
If land had not been made transferable or salable, the Government would find it very difficult to realize revenue from a cultivator who had no savings or possessions out of which to pay it.
The British by making land a commodity which could be freely bought and sold introduced a fundamental change in the existing land systems of the country. The stability and the continuity of the Indian villages were shaken, in fact, the entire structure of the rural society began to break up.
Three major systems of land revenue collection existed in India. They were – Zaminidari, Ryotwari and Mahalwari.
Zamindari System
Zamindari System was introduced by Cornwallis in 1793 through Permanent Settlement Act.
It was introduced in provinces of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Varanasi.
Also known as Permanent Settlement System.
Zamindars were recognized as owner of the lands. Zamindars were given the rights to collect the rent from the peasants.
The realized amount would be divided into 11 parts. 1/11 of the share belongs to Zamindars and 10/11 of the share belongs to East India Company.
Ryotwari System
Ryotwari System was introduced by Thomas Munro in 1820.
Major areas of introduction include Madras, Bombay, parts of Assam and Coorgh provinces of British India.
In Ryotwari System the ownership rights were handed over to the peasants. British Government collected taxes directly from the peasants.
The revenue rates of Ryotwari System were 50% where the lands were dry and 60% in irrigated land.
Mahalwari System
Mahalwari system was introduced in 1833 during the period of William Bentick.
It was introduced in Central Province, North-West Frontier, Agra, Punjab, Gangetic Valley, etc of British India.
The Mahalwari system had many provisions of both the Zamindari System and Ryotwari System.
In this system, the land was divided into Mahals. Each Mahal comprises one or more villages.
Ownership rights were vested with the peasants.
The villages committee was held responsible for collection of the taxes.