Q. Which of the following statements was not a feature of the Permanent Settlement Act?
(a) Zamindars were made the legal proprietors of land
(b) Most landlords did not take interest in the improvement of land
(c) The state was assured of a fixed income
(d) One-sixth of the produce was given to the government
Ans: (d) One-sixth of the produce was given to the government
Explanation:
The correct answer is (d) One-sixth of the produce was given to the government.
The statement that “One-sixth of the produce was given to the government” was not a feature of the Permanent Settlement Act.
The Permanent Settlement Act, also known as the Cornwallis Code or the Permanent Settlement of Bengal, was implemented in 1793 during the British rule in India. It aimed to stabilize revenue collection and establish a system for landownership and revenue sharing. The main features of the Permanent Settlement Act were:
(a) Zamindars were made the legal proprietors of land: The act recognized the zamindars (landlords) as the permanent owners of the land, giving them hereditary rights over the land.
(b) Most landlords did not take interest in the improvement of land: The Act aimed to secure a fixed revenue from the zamindars, and as a result, many landlords did not invest in the improvement of land or agricultural practices.
(c) The state was assured of a fixed income: The primary objective of the Permanent Settlement Act was to ensure a fixed and permanent revenue for the British government. The zamindars were required to pay a fixed amount as revenue to the government, regardless of the agricultural output.
However, the act did not specify that one-sixth of the produce should be given to the government. Instead, it fixed a specific amount of revenue to be paid by the zamindars, which was determined based on the average revenue of the previous years. The zamindars had the freedom to collect any surplus revenue generated from the land beyond the fixed amount.
