The Permanent Settlement of Bengal

A grand contract was signed between the individual landholders of Bengal, the talukdars and zamindars and between the East India Company’s Government in Bengal.

As per this contract between the two sides, the zamindars got admission in the colonial state system as independent owners of Bengal’s landed property. Apart from this, the revenue that was paid to the government was determined permanently. According to the regulations of the settlement each and every zamindar as well talukdar was made as constant and independent owners of land under their authority. The government received revenue at a fixed rate from the talukdars and zamindars who were the absolute owners of the land. However, it should be noted that the privilege was denied to the cultivating raiyats. The rent rate could be conveniently altered by the ones who held the land. The eviction of tenants could also be done by the landholders in case they wished to do so. Further, according to the sun-set law, in case of any default, their land corresponding to the default could be realised as per the land’s public sale.

Who Concluded the permanent Settlement?

In 1873, the organization which was led by Charles Earl Cornwallis concluded the Permanent Settlement. It led to the formation of the Cornwallis Code which developed a portion of a bigger body of legislation. This code led to the division of the services offered by the East India Company in three ways such as judicial, revenue and commercial.

Key Points Regarding Permanent Settlement

Here are some points which help in understanding about the Permanent Settlement Law and its impact – 

• Many zamindars had started feeling like paupers because of the Permanent Settlement Law. This was because the taluks consisted of the majority of their estates making the Zamindars feel like paupers. 

• Apart from this, the Zamindars also got afraid of The Sunset Law according to which the estate of Zamindars could be sold in case they failed to pay the revenue to the Government. Auction sales were also held on a monthly basis for several Zamindars. 

• The collection of revenue by the Government had become undetermined and there was a decline in the revenue income as well. 

• Lastly, it can be said that with the Permanent Settlement Law, a deterioration in the overall law and order could be observed.  

Amendments to the Law

Because of the consequences of the law, the zamindars were dismembered and it led to resistance towards new zamindars who had come for possessing their lots which they purchased at auctions. In conclusion, there were some amendments made by Wellesley so as to pacify the zamindars. This led to haftam or seventh, that is the enactment of Regulation VII in the year 1799 which equipped the Zamindars with power. Now, the Zamindars had the right to divert the cattle, crops and other properties they had to recover rents. Apart from this, one more change that took place is commonly called as panjam or fifth, which is the Regulation V of 1812. According to this law, the right to lease the land for a duration of time was given to the Zamindars. 

Conclusion

As observed above, the Permanent Settlement Law can now be clearly understood. One can say that according to this law the zamindars got admission in the colonial state system as independent owners of Bengal’s landed property and the revenue that was paid to the government got decided permanently. The law impacted the zamindars in a lot of ways. The year the law was concluded, the prominent features of the law and the impact that law had was also discussed above. Apart from all this, the amendments that were brought to the law and how they changed life then have also been discussed. Thus, it can be concluded that various significant aspects of the Permanent Settlement Law have been discussed above.