Proceedings of the Committee of Revenue, 11th December-29th December, 1783
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. Between 1769 and 1786 the revenue administration was managed by various intermediate agencies like the Resident at the Durbar, Provincial Council of Revenue, the Calcutta Committee of Revenue. 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.
On 1781 the Court of Directors decided to centralise the Committee of Revenue based in Calcutta. The office of the Provincial Councils were abolished on February 9, 1781. The Committee of Revenue was placed in full control aided by a Diwan. Collectors were appointed under the Diwan at various districts. The new Collectors were mere figure-heads, and zamindars were encouraged to pay their revenue direct into the Khalsa or Exchequer at Calcutta. The Committee of Revenue continued to operate till it was replaced by the Board of Revenue in 1786.
Selection details
On 1781 the Court of Directors decided to centralise the Committee of Revenue based in Calcutta. The office of the Provincial Councils were abolished on February 9, 1781. The Committee of Revenue was placed in full control aided by a Diwan. Collectors were appointed under the Diwan at various districts. The new Collectors were mere figure-heads, and zamindars were encouraged to pay their revenue direct into the Khalsa or Exchequer at Calcutta. The Committee of Revenue continued to operate till it was replaced by the Board of Revenue in 1786.
1.
1.1.
I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 1st Instant in answer to mine of the 19th Ultimo advising me that you do not deem yourselves competent to authorize the purchase of Rice required from this District by the Collector of Boglepore under the orders of the Committee of Grain.
I do myself the pleasure to send you Copies of the Letters I have received from the Committee of Grain & Mr Cleveland collector of Boglepore on the subject and as I cannot conceive that the Committee of Grain would make a request of this nature without full permission. I can have no doubt that in your application the Governor General and Council will authorize you to appropriate a sufficient sum for the purchase of the Grain. If you consider this mode as improper, I will draw upon the Collector of Boglepore for the amount agreeable to the [Page 137] [...] of his Letter.
1.2.
As it is absolutely necessary that such a quantity of Grain should be collected in Boglepore as will effectually prevent the Troops now in this [...] from being distressed We request you will pay particular attention to any application that may be made to you on this subject by Mr. Cleveland that he may receive the supply he requires for this purpose with the greatest dispatch.
1.3.
The Hon'ble Governor General & Council [Page 138] having directed me to establish granaries on the high road throughout my District for the use of Troops and Travellars, and the Committee of Grain having desired me to make application to you for the necessary supplies in consequence I am to request you will provide 20000 Maunds of Rice for the purpose on account of the Hon'ble Company, The Amount of the purchase may either be charged in your Accounts or remitted from hence as may be most convenient to you and on receiving information from you at what places the whole or any part of the Rice is provided I will immediately dispatch an Agent with Boats to receive charge of it and transport it to the several Granaries.
1.4.
I have received your Letter of the 13th Ultimo directing to make a Progress into the districts under my charge to ascertain the quantity of Grain now in deposit as also to form a judgment of the state of the present crop & ca.
As the service I have been engaged in here, is nearly completed I am making preparation to carry your instruction into execution but I think it necessary to inform you, that I have cause suppose there will be much difficulty in effecting it, as the Districts under my charge are almost wholly in the possession Jaghurdars who pay a fixed tribute for their Land and whose [Page 364] constant study it is to conceal their produce from an apprehension that their Revenue might be raised as the Munduls of the villages are their immediate Dependants and entirely devoted to them it cannot be expected they will render a faithful Account. I hope therefore that this will be considered as a sufficient cause for any Delay that may occur in completing the estimate, at the same time, I beg leave to assure you that I shall exert my utmost diligence informing it.
I have the pleasure to transmit you here with a Settlement of the present price in the District under my charge.