Question

Who introduced the Zabti system in the land Revenue system?
a. Aurangzeb
b. Akbar
c. Babar
d. SherShah

Answer 1

Hint:
The Zabti system is also known as the Dahsala system. It was introduced in 1580-82 to ease the problems resulting from the setting of prices every year and the settlement of revenues of previous
years.

Complete solution:
The Dahsala System or Zabti System was introduced by Raja Todarmal, Akbar's competent finance minister, who had improved his skills under his first master, Shershah Suri. The method prevailed from Lahore to Allahabad and in the provinces of Malwa and Gujarat. This remained a regular revenue appraisal system for much of the Mughal Empire.
Average production of ten years has been derived from this method. One-third of this average output was set in Rupees per Bigha and fixed as a state share (Mal). The balance of the two-thirds share was left to the cultivators (Kharaj).

State demand in kind was provided in maunds; but for the conversion of state demand from kind to cash, a separate schedule of cash revenue rates for various crops was created, which was called Dastur-i-amal. Each revenue circle had a separate dastur-i-amal schedule for different crops. The peasant was therefore forced to pay based on local produce as well as local rates.

Murshid Quli Khan was introduced in the Deccan during the Shahjahan period. There was no ten-year settlement of crops under the Dahsala or Zabti scheme. The settlement was focused on average prices and production over the last ten years.1/3rd of the average crop production was allocated to the state. This scheme was largely in place during the Shershah Suri period but was perfectly perfected during the Akbar period. The system prevailed from Allahabad to Lahore and in the provinces of Gujarat and Malwa.

Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note:
There are also some drawbacks to the Dahsala scheme. During the calculation of land, the authority was misused to allow the revenue to be paid incorrectly. Often, thus, farmers had to pay more than they were expected to. Many of the revenue officials were often dishonest and corrupt, which meant that the peasants were affected by the power used by the officials. Akbar ensured, however, that the health of the cultivators was improved and sustained. These officials will bother the cultivators to pay high revenue.