Ryotwari and Mahalwari Systems of Land Revenue

Introduction

The Ryotwari and Mahalwari System of Land Revenue was featured during the period of pre-independent India by the Britishers. The primary motive of the Britishers were to earn enormous money by exploiting the Indian people.

The two revenue taxes were one type of policy to collect the money. The two systems had some differences in amounts of revenue and regulations to each other.

The Ryotwari System

The Ryotwari land revenue system was started by Sir Thomas Munro in the 18th Century. This system gave full independence to the landowner to do anything with his land anytime. The peasant or the cultivator of the land became the chief landowner and had full rights to their land.

The riots of the land had full rights to sell their land or gave it as a reward to anybody. The tax system was first introduced in 1820 and Captain Reed was the first employee of the system. Captain Reed was employed in the Baramahal region and the place was under the presidency of Madras.

The captain was the first employee of the revenue tax in the year 1792. The tax was applied at first in a few regions and the regions were Assam, Madras, Coorg and Bombay. The range of revenue tax varies on the qualities of lands like 50% of the payable tax for dry land’s owner and the tax rate increased up to 60% for the irrigated and wetland owners.

Ryotwari System: Characteristics

A few of the characteristics of the Ryotwari System are given below.

• The system is beneficial only for landowners and peasants and they welcomed the revenue system with pleasure.

• The system was controlled by Britishers directly and no allowance for a middle party between the landowner and the company. The riots of the land paid the revenue to the company directly.

• The company treated the upper-class people in a more superior way by the tax system.

• The vacant land was under the charge of the British government. The Britishers were given a share of the land for a purpose of cultivation.

• The tax rate was not fixed; it was decreased or increased on the bases of corps production.

• The government signed an agreement with the landowner as the rule of this revenue system. The government also took over the land for the owner’s unableness of paying the taxes.

Ryotwari System: Drawbacks

The Ryotwari revenue system was only popular among upper-class people of pre-independent India. This system had some drawbacks as well. For instance, the tax range was increased annually and the rate of interest was equally high.

The cultivators used to rely on money lenders to pay their tax dues. Besides, taking bribes from the landowner at the time of collection of the tax was very common in those days. Even when there’s a crop fiasco, still the peasants were propelled to pay the taxes.

The record of the production corps took by the government on those bases and they increased the revenue rate. Many owners lost their own due to the system and all the issues puts a deep impact on the system. The revenue system only continued for five years of all drawbacks of the system.

The Mahalwari System

The Mahalwari System is another tax collection system during those British days. In 1822, Holt Mackenzie came up with Mahalwari System. This land revenue system was audited by Lord William Bentinck in 1833. The Mahalwari system made a division of lands into Mahals and one and many villages were part of it.

The revenue rate was fixed in this system and many farmers together gave the revenue for one Mahal. The head of the village collected the tax and the rental value was 66% of the revenue of the state share.

The tax range was not fully fixed; the quality of land’s soil fixed an average range of the tax. The benefits of the system were fixed on a dual basis because farmers and property owners both gave the tax.

Mahalwari System: Characteristics

The basic characteristics of the Mahalwari System are as given below.

• The production process was not responsible for the rate of the tax. The range of tax was fixed for every land.

• Holt Mackenzie first announced the system in 1822 and Lord William Bentinck passed the revised system in 1833.

• The revenue system was called the revised version of the Zamindari system. The headman collected the taxes and he was a Zamindar virtually.

Mahalwari System: Drawbacks

Image 1 − Consequences of land revenues

The system was made as exploitation for poor farmers and they were pressurised by Zamindars to pay taxes in drought conditions.

The farmers were unable to do their work due to their unableness of paying the huge amount of taxes. The systems were unable to continue for all these drawback conditions.

Land Revenue Policy: Problems

The farmers were unable to pay the expensive taxes and they took loans with high rates of interest from the Zamindars. The mortgaging system of farming land was another path to pay the loans. The moneylenders were taken over the farmer's property if they were unable to pay their loans.

Land Revenue System: Consequences

The expensiveness of taxes farmers was unable to produce the food corps and they only produced those corps, which gave them benefits. The landowners were not allowed to use their land for their private purpose before this tax system.

The tax became very high in the time of Britishers, before them, the tax range was manageable. Many villagers lost their land due to this exploitation and only a few percent of villages were protected their 75% of their land.

Conclusion

The Ryotwari system was a tax system for landowners or riots. The owner had full freedom to use their lands privately. The Mahalwari system was a tax system for both farmers and landowners. Both systems were applied for the exploitation of the Indian people and both systems were stopped because of many drawbacks. Sir Thomas Munro 1820 first introduced the Ryotwari system. He was the governor of madras when he introduced this tax system. The Mahalwari system was first introduced in the year of 1833. The governor-general of India Lord William Bentinck was first announced this revenue system.

FAQs

Q1.What is the other name of Ryotwari System?

Ans.The system was a revenue tax applied to all landowners of India. The system was also called as Munro system.

Q2.Who announced the Zamindari System?

Ans.Lord Cornwallis first announced the system in the act of parliament settlement. Peasants, British and Zamindars were the three chief elements of the system.

Q3.Where did the Mahalwari system’s implementation happen?

Ans.The revenue system’s implementation happens in the year 1833. Few parts of India, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh the system’s implementation happen.