With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the follo

With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements :

  • 1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
  • 2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
The correct option is B.
Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Ryotwari system involved direct settlement with the cultivator (ryot), it often fixed high revenue demands, and exemptions or reductions during bad harvests were not guaranteed and depended on administrative discretion, often leading to hardship.
Statement 2 is correct. The Permanent Settlement introduced by Cornwallis in Bengal included a strict ‘Sunset Clause’. If the Zamindar failed to pay the fixed revenue by the specified date (sunset of the last day of payment), his Zamindari rights were forfeited, and the estate was auctioned off.
The Permanent Settlement (1793) was introduced in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. The Ryotwari Settlement was introduced primarily in Madras and Bombay Presidencies by Thomas Munro and others. Another major revenue system was the Mahalwari Settlement in North-Western Provinces, Punjab, and parts of Central India.
Exit mobile version