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?

Question

GSEasyPrelims 2024Modern History

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

Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
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?

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Introduced primarily in Madras (now Tamil Nadu) and Bombay (now Mumbai) presidencies by Alexander Reed and Thomas Munro. Ryotwari System, while aiming to establish direct contact with the cultivators (ryots), did not offer blanket exemption from revenue payment during bad harvests or calamities. While some provisions for remission existed, they were not automatic or guaranteed.
Statement 2 is correct: Introduced in Bengal, Bihar, and parts of Odisha by Lord Cornwallis in 1793. A key feature of the Permanent Settlement was the strict revenue collection timeline. Zamindars were obligated to pay a fixed amount of revenue to the British by a specific date. Failure to do so could result in the auctioning of their Zamindari to recover the dues.

Note: UPSC dropped this question from the final answer key.

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