Land Revenue System

The Zamindari system was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 through Permanent Settlement.
Under the Zamindari system, the land revenue was collected from the farmers by intermediaries known as Zamindars.
The share of the government in the total land revenue collected by the zamindars was kept at 10/11th, and the remainder went to zamindars.
The system was most prevalent in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, UP, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The Ryotwari System was introduced by Captain Alexander Read and Sir Thomas Munro at the end of the 18th century in the Deccan region.
Under the Ryotwari system, the land revenue was paid by the farmers directly to the state.
In this system, the Individual cultivator called Ryot had full rights regarding the sale, transfer, and leasing of the land.
It was prevalent in most of southern India but was also first introduced in Tamil Nadu. It was later extended to Maharashtra, Berar, East Punjab, Coorg, and Assam.

In 1822, Englishman Holt Mackenzie devised a new system known as the Mahalwari System in the North Western Provinces of the Bengal Presidency.
Under the Mahalwari system, the land revenue was collected from the farmers by the village headmen on behalf of the whole village.
The entire village was converted into one bigger unit called ‘Mahal’ and was treated as one unit for the payment of land revenue.
The system was popularised by Lord William Bentick in Agra and Awadh and was later extended to Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.