2021 · Q31
Which one of the following statements with not regard to ryotwari settlement is correct ?
General KnowledgeHistory of India
- AIn southern and western India, the ryotwari settlement was adopted.
- BRyotwari was in principle a direct contract between the ryot and the state.
- CIt means a tax contract valid for usually 30 years.
- DIn principle, it strengthened the former elite, the zamindars and weakened the peasantry.
Explanation
The ryotwari settlement, adopted in southern and western India (Madras and Bombay presidencies), was in principle a direct revenue contract between the ryot (cultivator) and the state, bypassing intermediaries, and was periodically revised (usually every 30 years). By eliminating the zamindar as intermediary it weakened, not strengthened, the former zamindar elite. Statement D reverses this effect and is the incorrect statement.