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Indian Remained Agrarian Country
(85% of People depended on Agriculture)


Agriculture productivity was low due to

  • Lack of Irrigation Facility
  • Very Less use of Fertilizers
  • Low Level of Technology

In Absolute Terms, there was some Agriculture Growth due to more area coming under agriculture

 

Britishers Introduced different systems of Land Settlement like Zamindari System where:

  • Zamindars collected Rent from Farmers and paid Revenue (tax) to the British Govt
  • Profits of cultivation went to Zamindars and not cultivators
  • Terms Of Revenue Settlement were strict, amount of tax and date when amt was to be collected was fixed

Commercialization of Agriculture

In some areas, People started growing more cash crops or commercial crops instead of food crops

(Cash crops are Crops grown for profit instead of use by farmer. Example Tobacco, Coffee)

These cash crops were used as raw material for British countries

However, majority of farmers did not have resources, technology and incentive for doing this

NCERT Questions

Question 3

What were the main causes of India’s agricultural stagnation during the colonial period?

View answer

Agriculture productivity was low due to

  1. Lack of Irrigation Facility
  2. Very Less use of Fertilizers
  3. Low Level of Technology
  4. Britishers Introduced different systems of Land Settlement like Zamindari System where:
    1. Zamindars collected Rent from Farmers and paid Revenue (tax) to the British Govt
    2. Profits of cultivation went to Zamindars and not cultivators
    3. Terms Of Revenue Settlement were strict, amount of tax and date when amt was to be collected was fixed
  5. Commercialization of Agriculture
    In some areas, People started growing more cash crops or commercial crops instead of food crops
    (Cash crops are grops grown for profit instead of use by farmer. Example Tobacco, Coffee)
    These cash crops were used as raw material for British countries
    However, majority of farmers did not have resources, technology and incentive for doing this

 

MCQ Other Books

Question 1

In the following questions, select the correct answers:

The main reason for stagnation in the agricultural sector during British rule was:

  1. Land settlement system
  2. De-industrialisation
  3. Lack of technology
  4. Commercialization of Agriculture

View answer

A Land settlement system

Explanation

Britishers Introduced different systems of Land Settlement like Zamindari System where:

  1. Zamindars collected Rent from Farmers and paid Revenue (tax) to the British Govt
  2. Profits of cultivation went to Zamindars and not cultivators
  3. Terms Of Revenue Settlement were strict, amount of tax and date when amt was to be collected was fixed

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Question 2

Which of the following statements is not true about the agricultural sector at the time of independence?

  1. The agricultural produce was highly affected by Zamindari system.
  2. There were a large number of landless and bonded labours.
  3. The yield per hector was very less.
  4. There was heavy mechanisation of agriculture.

View answer

D. There was heavy mechanisation of agriculture.

Explanation

Agriculture Productivity remained low

Due to, Lack of New Technology


Transcript

Population During British Rule Villages 85% Population Mostly Dependent on Agriculture India was an Agrarian Country Cities 15% Population Dependent on Industry and Service How to Increase Agricultural Production Better Irrigation Facilities Use Fertilizers Use Latest Technologies Cut Trees To Increase Farm Area In British Rule Agricultural Productivity was low, but still there was some growth due to more area brought under cultivation What did Britishers do? This not done to increase Agricultural Productivity This done to Increase Agriculture production Agriculture Sector During British Rule Agriculture Productivity It is the Production Per unit of land During British Rule This Remained Low due to Lack of Irrigation Lack of Fertilizers Lack of New Technology Agriculture Output It is the Overall Agricultural Production of Whole Economy During British Rule There was little Growth due to More Area came under Cultivation (Forests cut for Growing Crops) Agricultural Productivity was low, but still there was some growth due to more area under cultivation Zamindari System of Land Settlement How did Britishers collected Tax from India on Agriculture -LAGAAN Farmer (They worked on land) Paid Rent Zamindar (They Owned land) Paid Revenue (Tax) Britishers (They collected tax) Strict Rules for Rent Collection (Even in Low Produce Full Rent to be Paid) Strict Rules for Tax Collection (Amt of tax and Date of tax Fixed ) Problems with Zamindari System Farmer (They worked on land) Paid Rent Zamindar (They Owned land) Paid Revenue (Tax) Britishers (They collected tax) They got good tax Revenue For British Empire In case of Bad Crop Still got full tax More concerned with Filling British coffers No interest in helping Indian farmer Crops Grown Before and During British Rule Cash Crops Crops Grown for Profit Food Crops Crops Grown for consumption as Food Coffee Wheat Tobacco Rice Before British Rule  During British Rule  These not grown These were grown in some areas (This is called Commercialization Of Agriculture)These were Grown These were grown in all other areas (Farmers did not have resources to grow Cash Crops in these areas) Commercialisation of AgricultureCommercial Use (Sale) Growing of Crops It means Growing of Crops for Commercial Use or Sale Before British Rule Crops Grown for Consumption in Village (No commercialization) Only Food Crops Grown No cash crops No Export of Agricultural Goods During British Rule Crops Grown for Sale in National/international Markets (Commercialization of Agriculture Started) Cash Crops Also Grown in some areas They were used as Raw Material for British Factories Agricultural goods began to be exported SUMMARY Indian Agriculture During British Rule Agricultural Productivity was low But Agricultural Output Increased Zamindari System introduced Commercialization of Agriculture Majority of Farmers still grew Food crops Not much improvement in Irrigation, Fertilizers , Modern Technology Trees Cut to Increase Area under Cultivation Owner and Cultivator were Different Farmers paid Rent to Zamindars who paid tax to Govt Cash Crops Grown Used as Raw Material for British Factories No technology, Resources, Incentive to change cropping pattern, improve agriculture

  1. Economics Class 12
  2. Indian Economic Development

About the Author

Maninder Singh

CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant for the past 14 years and a teacher from the past 18 years. He teaches Science, Economics, Accounting and English at Teachoo