What contributed to the stagnation in the agricultural sector under British colonial rule?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
This stagnation in the agricultural sector can be attributed primarily to the land settlement systems introduced by the colonial government. The zamindari system, implemented in the Bengal Presidency and other parts of present-day eastern India, resulted in the zamindars (landlords) collecting profits from agriculture instead of the cultivators themselves. Many zamindars, alongside the colonial government, neglected agricultural improvement and were solely focused on rent collection.