Q. Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British rule?
- Lord Cornwallis
- Alexander Read
- Thomas Munro
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (UPSC Prelims 2017)
Answer:
2 and 3 only
Notes: The correct answer is
[C] 2 and 3 only. The Ryotwari system was one of the three main land revenue systems introduced by the British in India, primarily covering the Madras and Bombay Presidencies.
- Alexander Read (Statement 2 – Correct): Captain Alexander Read first introduced the Ryotwari system on a small scale in the Baramahal district of Tamil Nadu in 1792. His experiments laid the groundwork for a more direct settlement with the actual cultivators.
- Thomas Munro (Statement 3 – Correct): Sir Thomas Munro, who was the Governor of Madras (1820–1827), is credited with the large-scale implementation and formalization of the Ryotwari system across the Madras Presidency. He believed that the British should act as "paternal" figures dealing directly with the peasants (ryots) rather than through intermediaries.
- Lord Cornwallis (Statement 1 – Incorrect): Lord Cornwallis is associated with the Permanent Settlement (or Zamindari System) introduced in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha in 1793. This system recognized landlords (Zamindars) as the owners of the land, which was the opposite of the Ryotwari approach.
Key Features of Ryotwari Settlement:- Direct Settlement: Revenue was settled directly between the Government and the Ryots (cultivators).
- Ownership: The peasant was recognized as the owner of the land as long as they paid the land revenue.
- Revision: Unlike the Permanent Settlement, the revenue rates in the Ryotwari system were not fixed forever; they were periodically revised after 20 to 30 years based on soil fertility and market conditions.