The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s2.t10: The revenue policy
The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s2.t10
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The revenue policy
c19.s2.t10.1
Ala-ud-din did not rest satisfied with the control of the market and cheapening the cost of living. He desired, at the same time, to augment his financial resources. Accordingly, he turned to the reform of his revenue department. His predecessors had not paid much attention to formulating a scientific revenue policy. They had contented themselves with the time-honoured system which they had inherited from the Hindu times. But Ala-ud-din was a bold administrative reformer. He not only wished to introduce vigour and efficiency in the administration, but also desired to make a fundamental change in order to tap the resources of the country and increase his revenue to the utmost limit. With this object in view, he introduced a series of new measures which transformed the revenue rules and regulations of the Sultanate of Delhi. His first measure was to confiscate land held mostly by Muslim grantees and religious men as *milk* (proprietary rights given by the state), *inam* (free gift), *idrarat* (pensions) and *waqfs* (endowments). It is too much to believe that all such land was confiscated and annexed by the state. Most probably, most of the land of the above description was attached; but some assignees were left untouched, as we have undoubted evidence of their existence in the beginning of the next reign. His second measure was to withdraw all the privileges which the Hindu *muqaddams* (headmen), *khuts* (farmers of revenue) and *chaudhanue collectors* had enjoyed for generations, as we have already seen. These three classes of revenue officers were paid their dues as before; but, like all others who were connected with the land, they had to pay the land, house and grazing taxes. Thus, neither the Muslims nor the Hindus were left with any special privilege in the matter of land revenue. His third measure was to increase the State demand to the highest point possible. He fixed the State's share at fifty per cent of the gross produce of the land.¹ Over and above this, he charged, as has been related already, house tax, grazing tax and export and import duties. The Hindus, of course, were required to pay the *jizya* in addition. His fourth regulation was the introduction of the measurement of land with a view to ascertain the amount of land in the possession of each cultivator and the actual produce thereof. Although measurement of land was the usual feature of the revenue administration during the Hindu times and must have continued in some of the indigenous principalities, it was not adopted by any of the predecessors of Ala-ud-din. The credit of reviving it goes to this notable Khalji ruler who also made arrangement for ascertaining from the *patwari's* records the amount of arable land and revenue from each village in this dominions as a preliminary to his land settlements (*bandobast*). He employed honest and competent revenue officers to enforce the above regulations. We are told by the historian, Zia-ud-din Barani, that in matters of the revenue assessment and collection the entire kingdom was treated as a single village; but from what Barani himself has written, it seems that measurement could not be introduced in all the provinces of Alaud-din's dominions. It was confined to some parts only. The net result was that the revenue increased considerably and all classes of the population, including cultivators, landholders, merchants and traders, were required to shoulder the burden. But whether Ala-ud-din desired it or not, the brunt of the burden had to be borne by the Hindus, a vast majority of whom were closely connected with the land.
c19.s2.t10.2
¹ As far as the Muslims were concerned, he probably charged from them one-fourth of the produce as land-revenue
c19.s2.t10.3
Ala-ud-din was not in favour of grant of land to soldiers and officers in lieu of their salaries. Yet many men continued to enjoy the *iqtas* during his time as it was not possible to abolish the system altogether, specially in the newly conquered territories.