Question

Find out whether there are any taxes on agricultural production at present in your state. Explain the similarities and differences between Mughal fiscal policies and those adopted by present-day state governments.

Answer 1

Basis	Mughal Fiscal Policies	Present-Day Maharashtra
Main system	Land revenue was an important source of income for the Mughal state.	Farmers are not generally taxed on agricultural production in the same way as under the Mughals.
Basis of collection	Revenue was assessed according to the land, crops and agricultural produce.	The government mainly supports and regulates agriculture through modern laws, schemes and market institutions.
Payment	Revenue could be collected in cash or kind.	There is no regular system of collecting a fixed share of crops from farmers as state revenue.
Officials	Revenue officials assessed cultivation and collected revenue from peasants.	Government departments and bodies, such as agricultural and market authorities, regulated and supported farming.
Purpose	Revenue helped finance the Mughal administration and empire.	Present policies focus more on agricultural development, regulation and farmer welfare.
Similarity	The state kept records of land and agricultural activities.	The government also maintains land and revenue administration today.
Main difference	Cultivators had to give a part of their agricultural produce or its value as revenue.	The modern system does not normally demand a share of a farmer’s crop as land revenue.

Conclusion:

The main similarity is that both governments maintain records and administration connected with agricultural land. However, the Mughal state depended heavily on land revenue collected from cultivators, whereas the present-day Maharashtra government mainly focuses on regulation, development and support of agriculture rather than collecting a fixed share of crops from peasants.