In ________________ alone there were over 30,000 pending suits for arrears of rent payment in 1798.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Burdwan
Under the Permanent Settlement, zamindars often found it hard to collect rent from the ryots. Bad harvests and low prices made payment difficult, some ryots delayed payment on purpose, and rich ryots and village headmen were happy to see the zamindar in trouble. Zamindars could take defaulters to court, but cases dragged on: in Burdwan alone there were over 30,000 pending suits for arrears of rent in 1798.
NCERT (2025-26): “1.3 Why zamindars defaulted on payments … At the time of rent collection, an officer of the zamindar, usually the amlah, came around to the village. But rent collection was a perennial problem. Sometimes bad harvests and low prices made payment of dues difficult for the ryots. At other times ryots deliberately delayed payment. Rich ryots and village headmen – jotedars and mandals – were only too happy to see the zamindar in trouble. The zamindar could therefore not easily assert his power over them. Zamindars could prosecute defaulters, but the judicial process was long drawn. In Burdwan alone there were over 30,000 pending suits for arrears of rent payment in 1798.” |