Question

Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.

Answer 1

Hint: The Permanent Settlement was a contract that was conducted by the British East India Company and the Bengali landlords also known as zamindars. The two other systems were the Ryotwari system and the Mahalwari System.

Complete answer: 

The Permanent Settlement was brought into practice in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis, the Governor-General. This was essentially an arrangement to adjust the land income between the company and the Zamindars. First enacted in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, this was later followed in the presidency of northern Madras and in the Varanasi district. He imagined the development in India of a hereditary class of landlords. Often known as the Zamindari System, this system.

The key features of permanent settlement: 

- The owners of the land were known as landlords or Zamindars.

- Hereditary rights of succession of the lands under them were granted to them.

- The sum which the landlords had to pay was fixed.

- The Zamindars could sell or transfer the land as they wished.

- The amount to be paid by the landlords was fixed. It was agreed that this would not increase in future

- The Zamindars’ proprietorship would stay as long as they paid the fixed revenue at the fixed date to the government. If they failed to pay, their rights would cease to exist and the land would be auctioned off.

- It was decided that in the future, this would not increase (permanent in nature).

- For the government, the fixed sum was 10/11th of the revenue and 1/10th was for the Zamindar.

- The Zamindar had to give a patta to the tenant, explaining the area of the land he was granted and the rent he had to pay to the landlord.

- It was thought that Zamindars, being sons of the land, could enter the far corners of the area and also understand local customs very well.

- There was a sense of protection for everybody because of the system's permanent existence.

- The organisation knew the amount it would earn in sales. The landlord was told of the sum as well.

- According to the Permanent Land revenue settlement the Zamindars were recognised as the permanent owners of the land.

- They were given instruction to pay 89% of the annual revenue to the state and were permitted to enjoy 11% of the revenue as their share.

- The Zamindars were left independent in the internal affairs of their respective districts.

Note: The position of the zamindars rose like never before which made them wealthier and more powerful. The Permanent settlement oppressed the peasants. They had no rights over the land and could be thrown out at any moment. The Settlement was criticised because it ruined the state of farmers and the finances of the state.