A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s2: Management of the Jagir
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s2
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Management of the Jagir
v2.c71.s2.1
‘Sher Shah is known for his revenue administrative reforms and system of land-revenue assessment based on the measurement of the land, and for his genuine concern for the welfare of the cultivators. He acquired experience of these matters by the management of his jagir. When entrusted with his assignment, he thus spoke to his father Hasan Khan. "To please you I accept the management of the two districts. I will not fail to do my duty to the best of my power." Hasan Khan wished to send Farid to the parganas; but Farid representing to Hasan Khan that he wished first to speak with him, he obtained leave to do so, and thus began: "Many soldiers and subordinates, our kinsmen, have jagirs in these parganas. I shall devote myself to increase the prosperity of the district, and that depends on a just administration." When Hasan Khan heard his son's speech he was much gratified, and said, "I will give you the power both to grant and to resume the soldier's jagirs, and I will not reverse anything you may do." He accordingly sent Farid Khan to his two parganas, with every mark of favour.
v2.c71.s2.2
'When he got to his jagirs, he said, "Let all the head men (*mukaddamān*) and the cultivators (*muzariān*) on whose labour the prosperity of the district depends, and all the village accountants (*patwāris*), attend my presence. When they came he summoned also the soldiery, and thus addressed them:— "My father has committed to me the power of appointing and dismissing you. I have set my heart on improving the prosperity of the district, in which object also your own interests are concerned; and by this means I hope to establish my reputation."... When he had finished exhorting the soldiery, he turned to the peasantry, and said, "This day I give you your choice as to your mode of payment. Do whatever is most advantageous to your own interests in every possible way."
v2.c71.s2.3
'Some of the head-men asked for written agreements for a fixed money rent; others preferred payment in kind (*kismat-i ghallā*). Accordingly he gave leases and took agreements, and fixed the payments for measuring the fields (*jaribānā*), and the fees for the tax-collectors and measures (*muhassi-lānā*), and he said to the *chaudharis* and head-men, "I know well that the cultivation depends on the humble peasants, for if they be ill off they will produce nothing, but if prosperous they will produce much. I know the oppressions and exactions of which you have been guilty towards the cultivators; and for this reason I have fixed the payments for measurements, and the tax-gatherers' fees,—that if you exact from the cultivators more on this account than is fixed, it may not be credited to you in making up your accounts. Be it kown to you that I will take the accounts of the fees in my own presence. Whatever dues are rightly taken I will sanction, and compel the cultivators to pay them; and I will also collect the Government dues for the autumn harvest in autumn, and for the spring harvest in spring; for balances of Government dues are the ruin of a pargana, and the cause of quarrels between the cultivators and the Government officers. It is right for a ruler to show leniency to the cultivators at the period of measurement and to have a regard to the actual produce; but when the time of payment comes he should show no leniency, but collect the revenue with all strictness. If he perceives the cultivators are evading payment, he should so chastise them as to be an example to others not to act in the same way.” He then said to the peasantry, “Whatever matter you have to represent, bring it always yourselves to me. I will suffer no one to oppress you.”
v2.c71.s2.4
‘Having thus addressed them, he dismissed them with honorary dresses to carry on their cultivation. After dismissing the cultivators, he said to his father’s officers, “The cultivators are the source of prosperity. I have encouraged them and sent them away, and shall always watch over their condition, that no man may oppress and injure them; for if a ruler cannot protect humble peasantry from the lawless, it is tyranny to exact revenue from them”.