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Which of the following features of the Permanent Settlement of 1793 is / are correct? 1. The Permanent Settlement vested Land ownership rights in the peasants 2. The Permanent Settlement vested land ownership rights in the Zamindars 3. The Zamindars had to pay a fixed amount of rent by a particular date 4. The Zamindars benefited hugely from the Permanent Settlement while the peasants suffered Select the correct answer using the code given below;
Explanation
The Permanent Settlement of 1793, introduced by Lord Cornwallis, fundamentally altered land ownership in India. It vested land ownership rights in the Zamindars, converting them from mere revenue collectors into absolute proprietors of the land [2]. Consequently, peasants were deprived of their traditional ownership rights and became tenants [2]. Under this system, Zamindars were required to pay a fixed amount of revenue to the government by a specific date; failure to do so resulted in the auctioning of their land. While the Zamindars initially faced high revenue demands, they eventually benefited from the fixed nature of the tax as land values rose, whereas peasants suffered from high rents and exploitation [1]. Statement 1 is incorrect as peasants lost ownership, and statement 4 is partially subjective but generally true regarding the long-term exploitation of the peasantry.
Sources
- [1] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 10: Land Reforms in India > 1. Zamindari System (Permanent Settlement) > p. 337
- [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 5: Land Reforms > Features: > p. 191