The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c22.37

v4.c22.37

For this purpose the *parganas* were grouped into what would now be called assessment circles on the basis of agricultural homogeneity, and for each circle a schedule of rates was framed showing the amount of money to be demanded on the unit area of each crop, known as *bīgha*; the size of this unit varied within wide limits, but the *bīgha* to which the schedules refer was probably a little less than five-eighths of an acre. The range of the rates was extensive; one schedule, which may be taken as a fair sample, shows that small millets were charged 11 *dām*, large millets from 25 to 30, barley 40, wheat 60, sugarcane and indigo 120, and betel 220 *dām*, the *dām* being approximately one-fortieth of a rupee. Such figures make it easy to understand why the Revenue Ministry consistently pressed for improvement in the class of crops; a change from cereals to sugarcane for instance would immediately double or treble the revenue due from the area affected.