The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c22.36

v4.c22.36

The assessment schedules which were introduced in 1570–71 remained in force for ten years, and apparently they were found suitable, so far as the claim, stated in produce, was concerned; but recurring difficulties in calculating the seasonal cash-demand eventually led to their abandonment. The prices at which the produce-claim should be valued had to be sanctioned by the emperor, separately for each region and for each season. The emperor was constantly on the move, the distances to be covered increased with the expansion of the empire, the issue of orders was delayed, and the whole business of assessment and collection was thereby hindered, to the inconvenience of everyone concerned; while, in addition, the reports of local prices, on which the emperor’s orders were based, were suspected in some cases to be fraudulent. Akbar met the emergency by deciding to discard schedules stated in produce, and to fix assessment rates in cash, which could be applied, season by season, to the area actually cropped without the need for recurring references to the court.