Q. The land revenue in Mughal India was a:
(a) Tax on land
(b) Share in the produce
(c) Tax on cultivator
(d) Tax on the owner of the land
Ans: (b) Share in the produce
Explanation: The land revenue in Mughal India was a (b) share in the produce.
The Mughal administration implemented a revenue system known as the Zamindari system, which was based on the collection of a share of the agricultural produce as land revenue. The share of the produce collected as revenue varied from region to region but typically ranged from one-third to one-half of the total produce.
Under this system, the revenue collectors, known as zamindars, were responsible for assessing and collecting the revenue from the cultivators. The zamindars would retain a portion of the collected revenue as their share and forward the remaining amount to the imperial treasury.
This share in the agricultural produce was considered as land revenue, and it formed a significant source of income for the Mughal Empire. The revenue was utilized for various purposes, including the maintenance of the administration, military expenses, and the construction of public works.
Therefore, option (b) share in the produce is the correct answer as the nature of the land revenue in Mughal India.
