Question

Akbar had both the time and inclination to look at the administrative problems of the Empire. In this context describe briefly.

His Land Revenue System

Answer 1

His Land Revenue System:
No efforts were made to improve the land system prevailing in the country in the early part of Akbar’s reign. It was only after, when Todar Mai became the Diwan-i-Ashraf (head of the land revenue department.) Todar mal devised a system based on

1. A survey and measurement of land,
2. classification of land according to its productive capacity, and
3. fixation of rates payable in cash or kind by the cultivators.

Another important change that Akbar made was the introduction of the dahsala system. Under this system the average produce of different kinds of lands as well as the prices of the last ten (dah) years were collected from the government records. The land revenue was fixed at one- third of the average produce. The benefit of the system was that there was now no necessity of settling the land revenue every year. The work of revenue collection was therefore expedited. In brief, Todar Mal started a system that enriched the state treasury without impoverishing the cultivators. The state advanced loans 10 the needy farmers. As a result, agriculture flourished that boosted trade and industry also.