Land Revenue Reforms of Alauddin Khilji

Under Alauddin Khilji, India saw one of the most harsh land revenue system in India. His land and revenue reforms are notable for two measures viz. abolition of small Iqtas and Land Measurement (Paimaish)

Abolition of small Iqtas

With a stroke of pen, Alauddin abolished almost all small Iqtas and brought these lands under Khalsa or Crown lands. Almost entire land of Doab was brought under Khalsa. In the Khalsa lands, the revenue was collected directly by the state. The Sultan deprived the Khuts, Maqaddams and Chaudhuris of their privileges. They were forced to pay arrears of land revenue in a newly established department of arrears called Mustkharaj. This Mustkharaj reduced these Khuts and Muqaddams to beggars literally.

Land Measurement and Tax rates

Alauddin Khilji made several sweeping reforms in the field of revenue system. He was the first Sultan who paid attention to measurement (paimaish) of the cultivable land, which he called zabita, and estimated yield per Biswa was fixed as unit of revenue collection (currently, Biswa is 20th part of Bigha).

The ancient Hindu terminology of taxes viz. Bhaga, Bhoga and Kara were still in operation in those times but their meaning and demand had changed. Bhaga now meant Land revenue, Bhoga meant cess and Kar meant other taxes. These three were basis of assignment of land to nobles under Khilji. As far as state demand is concerned, Alauddin made the harshest possible hike in tax demand till that time. He fixed state demand to be half of the produce per Biswa yield. This scale of agrarian tax at 50% was the highest under Khilji among all other sultans and kings so far in India. Not only this, he also imposed house tax (Ghari) and pasture tax (Charai or Chari) on the agrarian population.

But these harsh measures were not sustainable. As soon as Alauddin died, the system lost into oblivion. Later, Mohammad Tughlaq somehow tried to return to the Khilji’s system and he tried to implement such a pilot project in a local area in Doab, but this pilot project failed like many of his other adventures.