Eduqo
Modern Indian History›Ch 2: British Policies & Reforms›Land Revenue Systems
Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari Systems in British India
British land revenue policies like Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari were designed to extract maximum profit, impoverish peasants and ruin the traditional agrarian economy.
Quick Memory Hooks
| System | Founder & Year | Region | Payer / Collector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Settlement | Lord Cornwallis (1793) | Bengal, Bihar, Odisha | Zamindars |
| Ryotwari System | Thomas Munro (1820) | Madras, Bombay, Assam | Individual Peasant (Ryot) |
| Mahalwari System | Holt Mackenzie (1822) | Punjab, UP, Central India | Village Community (Mahal) |
Zamindar
(Middleman landlord)
Middleman landlord
Zamindars became absolute owners of land under Permanent Settlement.
Ryot
(Direct cultivator)
Direct cultivator
Ryotwari system established direct tax settlement with individual peasants.
Mahal
(Village estate)
Village estate
Mahalwari system assessed revenue collectively for the whole village.
Drain
(Economic ruin)
Economic ruin
All systems led to extreme rural indebtedness and famine.
Permanent Settlement introduced in MadrasPermanent Settlement introduced in Bengal
Madras and Bombay mainly had the Ryotwari system, not Permanent Settlement.
Thomas Munro started Mahalwari systemHolt Mackenzie started Mahalwari system
Thomas Munro is famous for the Ryotwari system in Madras presidency.
Peasants owned land in Permanent SettlementZamindars owned land in Permanent Settlement
Peasants were reduced to mere tenants (tenants-at-will) under zamindars.
Q1.Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal in 1793?
Q2.The Ryotwari land revenue settlement was mainly introduced in which region?