Page 53 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

Sher Shah Suri’s Land Revenue System
The history of an organized revenue system goes back to the times of Sher
Shah Suri. It has been reported by various historians that this Afghan ruler
got the land of villages of northern India and the Punjab measured and fixed
land revenue on the cultivated land in accordance with its class and
productivity. The land revenue was generally charged at the rate of 1/4th of
the produce of the land. In his regime, a set of several parganas was grouped
together to form a sarkar so that proper supervision could be exercised by
various revenue officials, like patwaris, qanungos, and karkuns within each
sarkar in order to assist the work of the subedar, who was overall incharge
of each sarkar.

Mughal Revenue System
During Akbar, in 1574 the system of fixation of land revenue was first
introduced in the shape of regular settlement when revenue record like
jamabandi was prepared. The term of settlement was fixed for 10 years. The
enforcement of this revenue system is attributed to Raja Todar Mal. By this
system a cultivator knew before hand, firstly, what he would have to pay to
the Government after each harvest, and secondly, how far it was economic
for him to cultivate his land. During the course of first settlement of the
Mughal regime, land revenue was assessed on land class-wise and in each
sarkar an Aamil (Collector) was appointed and entrusted with the revenue
collection as well as other administrative work. This pattern of revenue
administration was also maintained during the reign of British and such an
officer was formally known as Collector. Even today, the revenue as well as
general administration of a district is headed by a Collector not only in
Muzaffargarh but also in entire Pakistan.
The land revenue system of the Mughals was later adopted by the British
with necessary amendments. It is noteworthy that revenue system in Agra
and Oudh was based on the above described Mughal land revenue system.
The British merely extended this system to the former Punjab after
annexation.
Prior to the Sikh regime, District Muzaffargarh was held by the Nawabs of
Thal and Bahawalpur. The Land revenue in the Nawabs regime was collected
in respect of all crops except cotton and tobacco. The pay of village servants
was set aside from the gross produce. Of the remainder, the Nawabs took
1/5 or 1/6 . A cess called tik was also levied. Similarly, Tirni (grazing tax)
th
th
was also fixed for each tract. The Bahawalpur Nawabs collected revenue in
kind besides tik cess and tax on indigo which was called Mughla.
Sikh Revenue System
During the Sikh period, this district was held by various lessees to whom the
revenue was formed out. These lessees would pay a fixed sum to the
Government and made their own arrangements with the villages in their
form. Such lessees would either subject part of their form to others, or

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