Land rent had been the major source of revenue of Indian governments from ancient times, but the organized and systemic change in land rent collection was first introduced by Todarmal, a minister of the Indian ruler Sher Shah Suri. As systemizing land revenue administration became the need of East India Company rulers, it was Lord Cornwallis who introduced the decentralized revenue collection by adopting Permanent Settlement in 1793 in Bengal that covered the present Bihar. Jharkhand, Odisha, UP and some other provinces. However, some other systems were introduced like Raiyatwadi and Mahalwadi systems in southern states and Punjab and other western states respectively. This system continued even under the British Crown since 1858. India after independence inherited the system, however, the leaders of independent India took steps to make equitable redistribution of ownership over land, popularly known as land reforms measures for two reasons – making the land holding size more economically viable and more equality in land ownership. Although the land revenue now is not a substantial source of income of governments, yet land revenue administration still remains an important part of governance in view of determining ownership rights over land, maintaining land records and land reforms measures. As such the present paper intends to articulate the features of land revenue administration since 1793 and assess its impact on socio-economic situation in India, especially in Bihar in the context fulfilment of the need of land reform measures. The paper is based on secondary sources of data collection. – Reproduced

http://www.iipabiharbranch.org/upload/BJPA%20Vol%20XXI%20No.%202%20Jul-Dec%202024.pdf
Land rent had been the major source of revenue of Indian governments from ancient times, but the organized and systemic change in land rent collection was first introduced by Todarmal, a minister of the Indian ruler Sher Shah Suri. As systemizing land revenue administration became the need of East India Company rulers, it was Lord Cornwallis who introduced the decentralized revenue collection by adopting Permanent Settlement in 1793 in Bengal that covered the present Bihar. Jharkhand, Odisha, UP and some other provinces. However, some other systems were introduced like Raiyatwadi and Mahalwadi systems in southern states and Punjab and other western states respectively. This system continued even under the British Crown since 1858. India after independence inherited the system, however, the leaders of independent India took steps to make equitable redistribution of ownership over land, popularly known as land reforms measures for two reasons – making the land holding size more economically viable and more equality in land ownership. Although the land revenue now is not a substantial source of income of governments, yet land revenue administration still remains an important part of governance in view of determining ownership rights over land, maintaining land records and land reforms measures. As such the present paper intends to articulate the features of land revenue administration since 1793 and assess its impact on socio-economic situation in India, especially in Bihar in the context fulfilment of the need of land reform measures. The paper is based on secondary sources of data collection. – Reproduced

http://www.iipabiharbranch.org/upload/BJPA%20Vol%20XXI%20No.%202%20Jul-Dec%202024.pdf