Board of Revenue Proceedings, 1st-12th August, 1788
About this text
Introductory notes
The early records preserved in the West Bengal State Archive pertains to the administration of the land revenue system by the East India Company. The Company attained the revenue rights of the Province through the Grant of Diwani in 1765. The records in the repositories of the Archive date back to the Select Committee Records in 1768. In the early the revenue administration was managed by various intermediary agencies, these committees reflect the early experiments and confusion of the East India Company over revenue collection.
The Court of Directors decided to reconsider the revenue administration in 1785. On this line the Court wrote in their General Letter, dated 21st September, 1785, that, there would be a Board of Revenue comprising of one of Junior Member of Council, and four other senior servants of the Company. The department would manage the whole administration of settlement, collection and receipt of every branch of the Revenue department together. The Board of Revenue at the Fort William operated from 1786 to 1822.
Selection details
The Court of Directors decided to reconsider the revenue administration in 1785. On this line the Court wrote in their General Letter, dated 21st September, 1785, that, there would be a Board of Revenue comprising of one of Junior Member of Council, and four other senior servants of the Company. The department would manage the whole administration of settlement, collection and receipt of every branch of the Revenue department together. The Board of Revenue at the Fort William operated from 1786 to 1822.
1.
1.1. Read the following Letter from the Collector of Rangamatty To John Shore Esq
I did myself the Honor to address you under date the 13th and 15th ultimo setting the forth the very great distress of the poor inhabitants hereabout inconsequence of the very high price of grain and [...]at that rate not always to be had, the affliction still continues many have died. I have individually administered every comfort and assistance in my Power but that is far short of their wants. I have therefore well Knowing a will be acceptable to the Board taken upon to me to and down 1000 Rupees in the publick account with some of my own to purchase grain of at Pottamary to distribute among the poorest of the people which will be amount essential relief to them.
The cause of the heavy calamity is [...] may having been dry months which prevented the foot grains from [...]up as fast as it ought to have done and when the rains did come their fall [...]deluge so to over flow and [...]and occasioned nearly the total loss of the crops.