What was the consequence of Permanent Settlement on rural society in Bengal ?
The zamindars invested capital and enterprise to improve agriculture along lines of British yeoman farmers
A group of rich peasants known as jotedars succeeded in consolidating their position in the villages
The ryots prospered as a result of fixed revenue levy imposed on them
The system of Collectorate introduced by the Company for exercising supervisory control on zamindars failed to take off
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This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2020
The Permanent Settlement (1793) fixed the land revenue in Bengal, granting proprietary rights to the zamindars. This system, however, often led to absenteeism among zamindars and the growth of intermediaries. A significant consequence was the rise in power and influence of a class of rich peasants and village headmen, known as jotedars, especially in North Bengal. Jotedars controlled large tracts of land, often subletting to poorer peasants, and wielded considerable authority in the villages, often challenging the zamindars’ power.
The Permanent Settlement significantly restructured land relations and social hierarchy in Bengal, leading to the emergence of new power centers like the jotedars.