Revenue Administration of Mughal
Empire
 |
Revenue Administration of Mughal
Empire
|
Agriculture was the chief profession
of the medieval people and land revenue was the main source of income of the
empire. Besides this, Khams (booty), trade tax, mint, salt tax, unclaimed
property, income from various industries and presents from nobles were various
other sources of income but the popularity of the government depended on the
success of land revenue policy of the emperors. Zakat from Muslims and Jaziya
from Hindus were realized during the reign of Babur and Humayun but Akbar
abolished these religious taxes. The success of Sher Shah Suri and Akbar
entirely depended on their liberal attitude towards the peasants. But the
successors of Akbar again levied the religious taxes and ultimately hastened
the downfall of the Mughal Empire.
Just after his accession Babur
divided his entire land into two parts, (i) Khalsa, i.e., crown land, and (ii) Jagir,
land under possession of Jagirdars. Humayun failed to introduce any change in
land system as his own position remained unstable throughout his life-time. Sher
Shah Suri brought some changes in the land and revenue system which continued
up to the reign of the last ruler of Sur dynasty, but after the re-accession of
Humayun in A.D. 1555, he revived the old system and thus discarded the reforms
introduced by the Sur emperor which Akbar followed in toto in due course of
time. Hence, Sher Shah was said to be the precursor of Akbar.
Akbar assumed the reins of government
in A.D. 1560 though he ascended the throne in A.D. 1556. As he had a versatile
personality, he paid his attention to the problem of land revenue system. He made
a number of experiments for about twenty years and tried to introduce some
significant reforms in this system for the peasants. He achieved success in his
mission through Dahsala system of Raja Todar mal who proved to be a successful
finance minister.
Abdul Mazid Khan was the first
finance minister (Diwan) appointed by Akbar in A.D. 1560 but he failed to bring
about any change, so Akbar appointed Aitmad Khan in A.D. 1565 on the post of
imperial diwan. He made distinction between the imperial land and the lands of
the Jagirdars and after measuring the crown lands and considering the prices of
various crops, fixed state revenue according to the direction of the emperor. Thus,
he tried to revive the system of Sher Shah Suri.
In A.D. 1564, Aimad Khan was replaced
by Muzaffar Khan as Imperial Diwan Raja Todar Mal was appointed as his
assistant for he had the experience of land revenue system during the days of Sher
Shah Suri. Muzaffar Khan got estimate of total revenue prepared through
Qanungos appointed by him. It was known as Hal-i-Hasil but no definite result could
be arrived at through this reform. Muzaffar Khan tried to rectify the defect of
the state demands into cash and succeeded in his aim to some extent but with
the outbreak of Uzbeg revolt his plan of systematic survey of cultivable land
was disrupted.
In A.D. 1568, Shihabuddin Ahmad took
over as Imperial Diwan in place of Muzafar Khan. He thought that the assessment
and fixation of prices of cereals every year was very troublesome and full of
defects. Hence, he introduced Nasq or Kankut system. Through this system an estimate
of the total produce was prepared and the duty of collection of revenue was
given to landlords and other middlemen of the area but prior to that it could
continue for a pretty long time. Muzaffar Khan was reappointed on the post of
imperial Diwan in A.D. 1570. He revived Hal-i-Hasil system and introduced some
significant, changes for improvement. Besides Khalsa land, the Jagirdari lands
were also included in this system. He made adequate arrangements for the measurements
of lands, estimation of produce and fixation of prices of different crops but
as it was a time consuming system, it delayed the realization of taxes which
forced Akbar to replace him.
Raja Todar Mal was a successful Diwan
and made some significant changes in the revenue system which brought laurels
to him. Seeing his qualities, Akbar appointed him Diwan in A.D. 1573 in Gujarat
where he measured the entire area of cultivable land, and classified land on the
basis of quality and fixed the state revenue after extensive calculation and
detailed survey. Akbar was very much
pleased by the success of Raja Todar Mal in Gujarat and ordered that entire
land of the empire should be surveyed for fixing the state revenue. Raja Todar
Mal’s labour and vast knowledge of revenue system brought name and fame for him
and Daahsala system was introduced in A.D. 1580. Raja Todar Mal was promoted as
Imperial Diwan in A.D. 1580 and Khwaja Shah Mansure worked as his assistant.
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